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
Brands like Lululemon, Anthropologie, Amazon, Madewell, and more are offering expedited shipping on last-minute gifts.
—Rylee Johnston, PEOPLE, 19 Dec. 2025
Dulce Morales Diaz's lawyer posted a video to TikTok, explaining the situation and efforts to expedite her release.
—Mike Hellgren, CBS News, 19 Dec. 2025
Ellen DeGeneres Needed More Room for Horses In 2024, Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi hired 70 people to expedite an extensive renovation of their $20 million house in the Cotswolds.
—Clio Chang, Curbed, 18 Dec. 2025
Sometimes, when there is an issue over a non-compete restricting an executive from taking a new job within a certain period of time, the parties involved reach an agreement or financial settlement to expedite the individual’s employment.
—David Moin, Footwear News, 18 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for expedite
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Rylee Johnston, PEOPLE, 19 Dec. 2025
Dulce Morales Diaz's lawyer posted a video to TikTok, explaining the situation and efforts to expedite her release.
—Mike Hellgren, CBS News, 19 Dec. 2025
Ellen DeGeneres Needed More Room for Horses In 2024, Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi hired 70 people to expedite an extensive renovation of their $20 million house in the Cotswolds.
—Clio Chang, Curbed, 18 Dec. 2025
Sometimes, when there is an issue over a non-compete restricting an executive from taking a new job within a certain period of time, the parties involved reach an agreement or financial settlement to expedite the individual’s employment.
—David Moin, Footwear News, 18 Dec. 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 26 Dec. 2025.
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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