expedite

verb

ex·pe·dite ˈek-spə-ˌdīt

expedited; expediting

Synonyms of expedite next

transitive verb

: to accelerate the process or progress of : speed up

: to execute promptly

: 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 But advances in technology should prevent such basic mistakes, or at least expedite their resolution. —

WIRED, 14 Sep. 2023 In its complaint, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington asked the court to expedite the matter so it can be resolved before the state’s primary ballot is set on Jan. 5 2024. —

Nicholas Riccardi, Anchorage Daily News, 6 Sep. 2023 Fouts' legal team plans to file an immediate appeal with the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit, based in Cincinnati, asking that the review be expedited. —

Christina Hall, Detroit Free Press, 5 Sep. 2023 Calls on Portland to expedite all permitting so that the field and tracks can be replaced immediately. —

Nik Streng, oregonlive, 4 Sep. 2023 On Tuesday, Willis filed a motion to expedite Trump and 18 co-defendants’ cases, aiming for a trial date of Oct. 26. —

Eden Villalovas, Washington Examiner, 30 Aug. 2023 File your claim quickly — and follow up Some insurance policies require you to file your claim in a timely manner, but most homeowners are likely going to want to file as soon as possible in order to expedite payment. —

Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 22 Aug. 2023 On Tuesday, California Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas (D-Hollister) introduced legislation designed to expedite construction and upgrades along the Pajaro River levee — a 74-year-old earthen flood control berm that breached just before spring, inundating the mostly migrant farmworker town of Pajaro. —

Susanne Rust, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2023 Healey has called on federal officials to streamline and expedite work authorizations and increase funding to help states provide shelter to families, though the Healey administration has not yet appealed for disaster relief aid. —

Sean Cotter, BostonGlobe.com, 31 Aug. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'expedite.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.