as in rate
an increasing in speed or rate of occurrence
Experts predict a steady acceleration in economic growth over the next two years.
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Recent Examples of acceleration
The rapid acceleration of price increases could complicate interest rate policy at the Fed, which may be reluctant to lower borrowing costs as inflation climbs.
—
Max Zahn, ABC News, 21 Apr. 2026
Meanwhile, the average time between an attacker first gaining access to a system and acting maliciously fell to 29 minutes last year, a 65 percent acceleration from 2024.
—ArsTechnica, 20 Apr. 2026
Avoid sudden braking or acceleration, and be especially cautious on hills or when making turns.
—Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 20 Apr. 2026
Avoid sudden braking or acceleration, and be especially cautious on hills or when making turns.
—Southern California Weather Report, Oc Register, 19 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for acceleration
Max Zahn, ABC News, 21 Apr. 2026
Meanwhile, the average time between an attacker first gaining access to a system and acting maliciously fell to 29 minutes last year, a 65 percent acceleration from 2024.
—ArsTechnica, 20 Apr. 2026
Avoid sudden braking or acceleration, and be especially cautious on hills or when making turns.
—Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 20 Apr. 2026
Avoid sudden braking or acceleration, and be especially cautious on hills or when making turns.
—Southern California Weather Report, Oc Register, 19 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for acceleration
Recent Examples of Synonyms for acceleration
Noun
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But, curiously, participants had the highest solve rate when the puzzles appeared in ordinary dreams, not lucid ones.—
Shayla Love,
New Yorker,
1 May 2026
-
For example, through the department’s Civil Rights Data Collection, Cohen and Smith Richards were able to determine that a special-education district in Illinois had the highest rate of student arrests of any school in the country.—
Charles Ornstein,
ProPublica,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The second is that Lindor’s injury must alter the pace of Stearns’ in-season evaluation.—
Tim Britton,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Keep your pace simple and intentional so nothing gets scattered.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The questions continued when the Steelers rounded out their draft class with likely special teamers who have size (sixth-round, 6-5, 321-pound DT Gabriel Rubio) and speed (Oklahoma safety Robert Spears-Jennings ran the fastest 40 at the combine at his position) but need polish.—
Mike DeFabo,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Cops believe speed played a factor in the crash.—
Nicholas Williams,
New York Daily News,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
How the stars in a binary system orbit one another — their orbital period and velocity — depends on the masses of the two stars.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
28 Apr. 2026
-
But Lamar’s velocity reflects his ambition.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Acceleration.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/acceleration. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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