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
Under the new rules, Chinese investments in Indian companies will be expedited and processed within 60 days as long as the ownership of the firms stays with Indian shareholders, the note said.
—Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 11 Mar. 2026
On March 10, Bridgman and her supporters appealed to the Tarrant County Commissioners Court to expedite Fraraccio’s move to an SSLC.
—Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Mar. 2026
Senator Warnock, a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, led bipartisan efforts to expedite the distribution of these funds.
—Cbs News Atlanta Staff, CBS News, 10 Mar. 2026
The brand has even included a convenient hanging hook to expedite the already quick-drying properties of this base layer in the event things get a little too wet and wild.
—Harry Spampinato, Travel + Leisure, 10 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for expedite
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Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 11 Mar. 2026
On March 10, Bridgman and her supporters appealed to the Tarrant County Commissioners Court to expedite Fraraccio’s move to an SSLC.
—Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Mar. 2026
Senator Warnock, a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, led bipartisan efforts to expedite the distribution of these funds.
—Cbs News Atlanta Staff, CBS News, 10 Mar. 2026
The brand has even included a convenient hanging hook to expedite the already quick-drying properties of this base layer in the event things get a little too wet and wild.
—Harry Spampinato, Travel + Leisure, 10 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 16 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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