decelerate

verb

de·​cel·​er·​ate (ˌ)dē-ˈse-lə-ˌrāt How to pronounce decelerate (audio)
decelerated; decelerating

transitive verb

1
: to reduce the speed of : slow down
decelerate a car
2
: to decrease the rate of progress of
decelerate growth
decelerate soil erosion

intransitive verb

: to move at decreasing speed
deceleration noun
decelerator noun

Examples of decelerate in a Sentence

she decelerated the car as we entered the school zone
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
And for the third quarter, the Atlanta Fed’s GDP tracker points to growth decelerating to 2.1%. Jason Ma, Fortune, 2 Aug. 2025 Sales in Japan were up 6 percent to 326 million euros, decelerating compared with exceptionally high tourism in 2024 and in the second quarter in particular. Luisa Zargani, Footwear News, 30 July 2025 Hiring decelerated after the Fed raised its benchmark interest rate 11 times in 2022 and 2023. Paul Wiseman, Chicago Tribune, 3 July 2025 In the first six months, the Stone Island DTC channel grew by 7 percent to 99.1 million euros, decelerating in the second quarter amid a generally more challenging global operating environment. Luisa Zargani, Footwear News, 23 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for decelerate

Word History

Etymology

de- + accelerate

First Known Use

1899, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of decelerate was in 1899

Cite this Entry

“Decelerate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/decelerate. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.

Kids Definition

decelerate

verb
de·​cel·​er·​ate (ˈ)dē-ˈsel-ə-ˌrāt How to pronounce decelerate (audio)
decelerated; decelerating
: to move or cause to move at decreasing speed : slow down
deceleration noun

Medical Definition

decelerate

verb
de·​cel·​er·​ate (ˈ)dē-ˈsel-ə-ˌrāt How to pronounce decelerate (audio)
decelerated; decelerating

transitive verb

: to reduce the speed of : slow down

intransitive verb

: to move at decreasing speed
deceleration noun

More from Merriam-Webster on decelerate

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!