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 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 “to release (a person) especially from a confined position.” 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

Seko was one of multiple customs brokerages suspended from the Entry Type 86 program, which is designed specifically to expedite packages imported into the U.S. valued at less than the $800 de minimis threshold. —Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 5 Sep. 2024

This gives the employer context about your situation and may encourage them to expedite their decision-making process. —Jack Kelly, Forbes, 5 Sep. 2024

The report’s authors said the Biden administration’s new asylum rules — which seek to expedite the process — make adequate language access all the more crucial. —Andrea Castillo, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2024

Thomas Gean, deputy prosecutor, said an order to expedite might get the case on the State Hospital’s radar faster. —Tracy Neal, arkansasonline.com, 3 Sep. 2024

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

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Kids Definition

expedite

verb

ex·​pe·​dite ˈek-spə-ˌdīt 

expedited; expediting

: to speed up the process or progress of