expedite
verb
ex·pe·dite
ˈek-spə-ˌdīt 
expedited; expediting
1
: to accelerate the process or progress of : speed up
2
: to execute promptly
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
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
DeSantis has repeatedly said the state will deputize National Guard judge advocates to serve as immigration judges in order to expedite the removal of migrants — both from the facility and the country.
—Rachel Treisman, NPR, 1 July 2025
Soliman's wife and children, ages 4 to 18, were detained by immigration agents on June 3, and the Trump administration said they would be subjected to expedited deportation.
—Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 26 June 2025
Despite the order, he was arrested and deported in March after Trump invoked the 1798 Alien Enemies Act, which allows officials to expedite deportations of citizens of an enemy nation during periods of invasion or wartime.
—Solcyré Burga, Time, 25 June 2025
The system provides daily, prioritized inventory actions, highlighting what needs expediting, delaying or canceling.
—Richard Lebovitz, Forbes.com, 25 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for expedite
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.
Rachel Treisman, NPR, 1 July 2025
Soliman's wife and children, ages 4 to 18, were detained by immigration agents on June 3, and the Trump administration said they would be subjected to expedited deportation.
—Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 26 June 2025
Despite the order, he was arrested and deported in March after Trump invoked the 1798 Alien Enemies Act, which allows officials to expedite deportations of citizens of an enemy nation during periods of invasion or wartime.
—Solcyré Burga, Time, 25 June 2025
The system provides daily, prioritized inventory actions, highlighting what needs expediting, delaying or canceling.
—Richard Lebovitz, Forbes.com, 25 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for expedite
Cite this Entry
“Expedite.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/expedite. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
expedite
verb
ex·pe·dite
ˈek-spə-ˌdīt
expedited; expediting
: to speed up the process or progress of
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share