expedite

verb

ex·​pe·​dite ˈek-spə-ˌdīt How to pronounce expedite (audio)
expedited; expediting

transitive verb

1
: to accelerate the process or progress of : speed up
2
: to execute promptly
3

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 Golden State has five days in Hawaii, so not only is their training camp to-do list long, it must be expedited. Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 1 Oct. 2024 The move helps to expedite preparations and coordination between the state and local governments. Mary Gilbert, CNN, 23 Sep. 2024 Launched in November 2023, Copilot promised to help expedite menial office tasks like summarizing Teams meetings and draft emails. Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 23 Sep. 2024 Some new laws and policies aim to expedite ballot counts in swing states, but many rules and timelines will likely be the same. Jeremy Duda, Axios, 19 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for expedite 

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.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of expedite was in the 15th century

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Dictionary Entries Near expedite

Cite this Entry

“Expedite.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/expedite. Accessed 12 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

expedite

verb
ex·​pe·​dite ˈek-spə-ˌdīt How to pronounce expedite (audio)
expedited; expediting
: to speed up the process or progress of
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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