expedite

verb

ex·​pe·​dite ˈek-spə-ˌdīt 

expedited; expediting

transitive verb

1

: to accelerate the process or progress of : speed up

2

: to execute promptly

3

: issue, dispatch

Did you know?

Need someone to do something in a hurry? You can tell that person to step on it, or you can tell them to expedite it. Figurative feet are involved in both cases, though less obviously in the second choice. Expedite comes from the Latin verb expedire, meaning “to free from entanglement or difficulty.” The feet come in at that word’s root: it traces back to Latin ped- or pes, meaning “foot.” Expedient and expedition also stepped into English by way of expedire.

Examples of expedite in a Sentence

During the fire season they wear a semblance of uniform intended to expedite the rush when the siren howls … —Tom Harpole, Air & Space, August/September 1993

Overnight he found himself coordinating the train and ship schedules and expediting the loading and unloading of 15,000 officers and men … —Neil Sheehan, A Bright Shining Lie, 1988

This final phase was never actually completed because of the need to expedite an airmobile force to Vietnam. —Shelby L. Stanton, Anatomy of a Division, 1987

After the war its leaders were stigmatized as collaborators and accused of helping to expedite the murderous work of the Nazis. —Bernard Wasserstein, New York Times Book Review, 24 May 1987

Recent Examples on the Web

The 10 percent global duties imposed under Section 122 of the same trade statute will conclude on July 24, and the administration has expedited its efforts to conclude the Section 301 probes and implement new duties as a replacement measure. — Kate Nishimura, Footwear News, 21 July 2026

Hugging Face was able to respond to the breach by using AI to expedite the investigation process. — Tim Keary, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026

Such footage can help expedite investigations, which can help determine if the use of force was legal, Corey said. — Nicki Brown, CNN Money, 18 July 2026

Assistant City Administrator Brandon Mills said staff will work with the consultants to put together the schedule and expressed that the city wants the process expedited as much as possible. — Taylor O'Connor 17, Kansas City Star, 17 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Latin expeditus, past participle of expedire — see expedient entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for expedite

• acolyte
• aconite
• allanite
• alunite
• amberlite
• ammonite
• amorite
• amphitrite
• analyte
• anchorite
• andesite
• anhydrite

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Kids Definition

expedite

verb

ex·​pe·​dite ˈek-spə-ˌdīt 

expedited; expediting

: to speed up the process or progress of