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
The candidates who participated in the forum often agreed, at least in concept, on a number of solutions for making housing affordable, expediting construction of new homes and providing insurance to homeowners.
—Linh Tat, Daily News, 6 Mar. 2026
Tech work has been at the center of the conversation around AI and jobs because the technology has enabled software developers to expedite parts of the coding process.
—Bryan Mena, CNN Money, 6 Mar. 2026
His appeal, which will be handled by the players’ association, will be expedited.
—Brittany Ghiroli, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2026
Federal district judges have blocked DHS from using wartime powers to expedite deportations, and ordered some deportees returned.
—Ximena Bustillo, NPR, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for expedite
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Linh Tat, Daily News, 6 Mar. 2026
Tech work has been at the center of the conversation around AI and jobs because the technology has enabled software developers to expedite parts of the coding process.
—Bryan Mena, CNN Money, 6 Mar. 2026
His appeal, which will be handled by the players’ association, will be expedited.
—Brittany Ghiroli, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2026
Federal district judges have blocked DHS from using wartime powers to expedite deportations, and ordered some deportees returned.
—Ximena Bustillo, NPR, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for expedite
Cite this Entry
“Expedite.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/expedite. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
expedite
verb
ex·pe·dite
ˈek-spə-ˌdīt
expedited; expediting
: to speed up the process or progress of
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