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
Not only is this rate materially lower than the 7%-plus rates that were common in recent years, but homeowners will also expedite their payoff timeline by refinancing into a term that's half their existing one.
—Matt Richardson, CBS News, 25 Nov. 2025
Westerman hopes this change will expedite environmental assessments and help companies complete projects at a faster rate.
—Arkansas Online, 23 Nov. 2025
This expedited custom framing service will be rolled out to all Michaels stores come February 2026.
—Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Nov. 2025
To keep fuel flowing, according to sources, the Olympic Pipeline Company was calling in drivers from neighboring states, and the Washington State Patrol is waiving driver-hour restrictions to expedite deliveries.
—Alex Stone, ABC News, 16 Nov. 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.
Matt Richardson, CBS News, 25 Nov. 2025
Westerman hopes this change will expedite environmental assessments and help companies complete projects at a faster rate.
—Arkansas Online, 23 Nov. 2025
This expedited custom framing service will be rolled out to all Michaels stores come February 2026.
—Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Nov. 2025
To keep fuel flowing, according to sources, the Olympic Pipeline Company was calling in drivers from neighboring states, and the Washington State Patrol is waiving driver-hour restrictions to expedite deliveries.
—Alex Stone, ABC News, 16 Nov. 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 6 Dec. 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