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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And flag football’s designation as an official Olympic sport starting with the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles is also an accelerant. Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 28 Jan. 2026 But even the best of these, on their own, often become accelerants for experimentation rather than engines for durable autonomy. Sanjay Srivastava, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026 For all his talk about strength, his approach leans more toward virality than virility with social media as his primary accelerant. Steven Sloan, Los Angeles Times, 20 Jan. 2026 For decades, open-source software has been an important accelerant to nascent industries. Bill Ready, Fortune, 19 Jan. 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 6 Feb. 2026.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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