Synonyms of accelerate

accelerate 1 of 2

verb (1)

ik-ˈse-lə-ˌrāt 

1

as in to increase

to become greater in size, extent, volume, amount, or number

toy purchases accelerate dramatically during the Christmas season

Synonyms & Similar Words

• increase
• rise
• expand
• swell
• climb
• intensify
• multiply
• accumulate
• wax
• proliferate
• escalate
• spread
• roll up
• gain
• enlarge
• snowball
• mount
• surge
• jump
• boom
• balloon
• appreciate
• burgeon
• mushroom
• heighten
• build up
• bourgeon
• skyrocket
• rocket
• redouble
• inflate
• peak
• bulk
• distend
• puff (up)
• blow up
• crest
• crescendo

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• decrease
• diminish
• lessen
• recede
• contract
• wane
• dwindle

2

as in to rush

to cause to move or proceed fast or faster

we accelerated preparations for the hurricane upon hearing weather reports that it had gained speed

Synonyms & Similar Words

• rush
• push
• hasten
• encourage
• quicken
• hurry
• urge
• facilitate
• speed (up)
• fast-track
• drive
• whisk
• propel
• spur
• race
• expedite
• bundle
• aid
• stir
• prod
• goad
• ease
• dispatch

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• brake
• decelerate
• retard
• slow (down)
• impede
• hinder
• restrain
• delay
• interfere (with)
• hamper
• tie up
• encumber
• stop
• hold back
• hobble
• rein (in)
• hold up
• stay
• check
• arrest
• stall
• shackle
• fetter
• still
• trammel
• manacle

3

as in to expand

to make greater in size, amount, or number

the company accelerated its advertising purchases even as the economy appeared to be in recession

Synonyms & Similar Words

• increase
• expand
• augment
• boost
• extend
• raise
• multiply
• enhance
• intensify
• amplify
• maximize
• reinforce
• escalate
• add (to)
• strengthen
• enlarge
• swell
• aggrandize
• stoke
• compound
• build up
• pump up
• up
• develop
• prolong
• supplement
• jump
• lengthen
• skyrocket
• heighten
• supersize
• hype
• inflate
• complement
• spike
• dilate
• draw out
• stretch
• elongate
• protract
• boom
• distend
• bump (up)
• accumulate
• flesh (out)
• ratchet (up)
• magnify
• blow up
• reenforce
• collect
• amass
• beef (up)
• rachet (up)
• follow up
• parlay

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• reduce
• decrease
• diminish
• lessen
• abate
• lower
• dwindle
• downsize
• shorten
• curtail
• subtract (from)
• abridge
• abbreviate
• compress
• minify
• de-escalate
• constrict
• condense
• contract
• cut back
• retrench

accelerating

2 of 2

verb (2)

present participle of accelerate

1

as in increasing

to become greater in size, extent, volume, amount, or number

toy purchases accelerate dramatically during the Christmas season

Synonyms & Similar Words

• increasing
• rising
• expanding
• swelling
• climbing
• multiplying
• intensifying
• waxing
• accumulating
• proliferating
• escalating
• spreading
• snowballing
• mushrooming
• surging
• ballooning
• booming
• mounting
• enlarging
• gaining
• burgeoning
• jumping
• rolling up
• appreciating
• bourgeoning
• heightening
• skyrocketing
• building up
• rocketing
• peaking
• redoubling
• inflating
• distending
• puffing (up)
• cresting
• bulking
• crescendoing
• blowing up

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• decreasing
• diminishing
• contracting
• lessening
• receding
• waning
• dwindling

2

as in rushing

to cause to move or proceed fast or faster

we accelerated preparations for the hurricane upon hearing weather reports that it had gained speed

Synonyms & Similar Words

• rushing
• pushing
• hastening
• quickening
• hurrying
• encouraging
• urging
• driving
• speeding (up)
• bundling
• facilitating
• whisking
• fast-tracking
• spurring
• propelling
• racing
• aiding
• expediting
• stirring
• prodding
• goading
• dispatching
• easing

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• decelerating
• braking
• retarding
• slowing (down)
• delaying
• impeding
• restraining
• hindering
• interfering (with)
• hampering
• stopping
• holding back
• hobbling
• encumbering
• tying up
• checking
• holding up
• staying
• stalling
• arresting
• reining (in)
• shackling
• fettering
• tieing up
• trammelling
• manacling
• stilling
• trammeling

3

as in expanding

to make greater in size, amount, or number

the company accelerated its advertising purchases even as the economy appeared to be in recession

Synonyms & Similar Words

• increasing
• expanding
• boosting
• augmenting
• multiplying
• raising
• extending
• enhancing
• intensifying
• escalating
• amplifying
• swelling
• reinforcing
• enlarging
• maximizing
• strengthening
• adding (to)
• compounding
• stoking
• upping
• hyping
• aggrandizing
• pumping up
• building up
• supersizing
• skyrocketing
• supplementing
• developing
• jumping
• spiking
• lengthening
• booming
• prolonging
• heightening
• inflating
• stretching
• elongating
• dilating
• complementing
• bumping (up)
• distending
• accumulating
• drawing out
• protracting
• ratcheting (up)
• reenforcing
• collecting
• blowing up
• magnifying
• amassing
• fleshing (out)
• racheting (up)
• beefing (up)
• following up
• parlaying

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• reducing
• decreasing
• diminishing
• lowering
• lessening
• downsizing
• dwindling
• subtracting (from)
• abating
• curtailing
• shortening
• abridging
• contracting
• compressing
• abbreviating
• minifying
• condensing
• de-escalating
• constricting
• retrenching
• cutting back

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of accelerate

Verb

Wilson is committed to elevating and accelerating the impact of the university’s research to attract more funding and talent. —Charlotte Observer, 18 July 2025

Jill’s condition accelerated with puberty, so the bodily changes that are confusing for any teenager were absolutely harrowing for her. —David Epstein, ProPublica, 18 July 2025

Verb

Hiring surged in March, blowing past economists' expectations and accelerating job growth from the previous month, government data last week showed. —Max Zahn, ABC News, 10 Apr. 2025

Meanwhile, hiring surged in March, blowing past economists' expectations and accelerating job growth from the previous month. —Max Zahn, ABC News, 10 Apr. 2025