accelerant

noun

ac·​cel·​er·​ant ik-ˈse-lə-rənt How to pronounce accelerant (audio)
ak-
: a substance used to accelerate a process (such as the spreading of a fire)

Examples of accelerant in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Authorities allege Campbell had a financial motive to burn down the resort, lied about his whereabouts that night, was in the lodge less than an hour before smoke was reported, and that a possible accelerant was found in a basement boiler room. Tom Olsen, Twin Cities, 10 Mar. 2026 This narrow growth profile is hard on workers, particularly when AI is seen more as a threat than a labor-market accelerant. Conor Sen, Mercury News, 10 Mar. 2026 He was charged with arson after investigators found signs that an accelerant had been used in the blaze. Shelly Bradbury, Denver Post, 5 Mar. 2026 If and when development picks up, Betancur argues the OPC will have the same effect that The 606 had on Logan Square and Humboldt Park — an accelerant for gentrification already underway in Bronzeville and near the University of Chicago. A.d. Quig, Chicago Tribune, 26 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for accelerant

Word History

First Known Use

1824, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of accelerant was in 1824

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Cite this Entry

“Accelerant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/accelerant. Accessed 16 Mar. 2026.

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