expedite

verb ex·pe·dite \ ˈek-spə-ˌdīt \

|Updated on: 3 Aug 2018

Examples: expedite in a Sentence

Editor's Note: Did You Know?

Definition of expedite

expedited; expediting

transitive verb

1 : to accelerate the process or progress of : speed up

2 : to execute promptly

3 : issue, dispatch

See expedite defined for English-language learners

See expedite defined for kids

expedite was our Word of the Day on 08/22/2011. Hear the podcast!

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 of expedite from the Web

Enrollment for the program could potentially be merged with Global Entry, a Customs and Border Protection program which expedites screening for international flights and includes Precheck for domestic flights.

— bart jansen, USA TODAY, "TSA: Friday airline passengers will near record with more than 2.6 million projected," 27 June 2018
Create a financial environment that expedites permitting, reduces impact fees and develops financial/financing opportunities such as Housing Trust Funds and Multi-Family bonds with tax credits.

— scott maxwell, OrlandoSentinel.com, "15 questions for the candidates for Orange County mayor. Where do they stand?," 24 May 2018
Meantime, longtime global institutions and alliances are crumbling, often expedited by Donald Trump.

— trudy rubin, Philly.com, "Report from Moscow: Cold War, World War III unlikely, but Russian experts disagree on Putin's foreign-policy plan | Trudy Rubin," 20 Apr. 2018
Seemingly, the only agreement on Monday was support for a bill that would expedite the procurement process for public projects in New York City and reduce the cost of repairs at Nycha facilities.

— New York Times, "Cuomo Weighs State of Emergency for New York City Public Housing," 12 Mar. 2018
Cline's work ethic was forged early on, something that doubtless expedited her career.

— maria carter, Country Living, "How Patsy Cline's Short Career Became the Stuff of Country Music Legend," 17 Apr. 2017
The project’s design is expected to be complete next month, and the agency has asked the state Board of Public Works to expedite the procurement process at its next meeting to allow construction to break ground in January and finish by July 2020.

— colin campbell, baltimoresun.com, "BWI proposes expedited, $60 million concourse expansion for Southwest Airlines," 10 July 2018
To expedite reunifications, HHS is conducting DNA tests via cheek swabs to match children with their parents, said Jonathan White, assistant secretary for preparedness and response.

— silvia foster-frau, San Antonio Express-News, "Reunification deadline of immigrant families looms large for U.S. government," 5 July 2018
Here's what travelers can do themselves to expedite their journey from curb to gate: 1.

— Condé Nast Traveler, "9 Summer Travel Tips to Help You Beat the Airport Crowds," 28 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'expedite.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Did You Know?

If you're really intent on expediting something, you jump in with both feet - or apply a single foot where it will be most effective! And when you do, you're drawing on the etymology of expedite itself. The word comes from the Latin verb expedire ("to set free" or "to make useful"), a word that in turn traces back to the root ped- or pes, meaning "foot." Expedite has been used in English since at least the 15th century.