Standard Lemma guide

expedite

adj · verb · 8 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /ˈɛk.spəˌdaɪt/
  • US: /ˈɛk.spɪˌdaɪt/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: EH1 K S P IH0 D AY2 T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Free of impediment; unimpeded.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Expeditious; quick; prompt.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To accelerate the progress of.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • He expedited the search by alphabetizing the papers.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To perform (a task) fast and efficiently.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: broadly, transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

To perform the duties of an expediter.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

verb

Meaning 6

To free from impediment; to release or set at liberty.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete, transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

verb

Meaning 7

process fast and efficiently

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • I will try to expedite the matter

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: action, sue, litigate, process

8

verb

Meaning 8

speed up the progress of; facilitate

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • This should expedite the process

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: hasten

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: help, assist, aid

History

Etymology

From Latin expedītus (“unimpeded, unfettered”), perfect passive participle of expediō (“bring forward, set right”).

Across languages

Translations

47 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: ускорявам (uskorjavam) — to accelerate the progress of
  • Bulgarian: способствам (sposobstvam) — to accelerate the progress of
  • Catalan: accelerar — to accelerate the progress of
  • Catalan: precipitar — to accelerate the progress of
  • Catalan: afanyar — to accelerate the progress of
  • Dutch: versnellen — to accelerate the progress of
  • Dutch: in vaart brengen — to accelerate the progress of
  • Dutch: bespoedigen — to accelerate the progress of
  • Finnish: jouduttaa — to accelerate the progress of
  • Finnish: kiirehtiä — to accelerate the progress of
  • Finnish: nopeuttaa — to accelerate the progress of
  • French: accélérer — to accelerate the progress of
  • French: précipiter — to accelerate the progress of
  • Galician: acelerar — to accelerate the progress of
  • Galician: apresurar — to accelerate the progress of
  • Galician: axilizar — to accelerate the progress of
  • German: beschleunigen — to accelerate the progress of
  • Greek: επισπεύδω (epispévdo) — to accelerate the progress of
  • Greek: διευκολύνω (diefkolýno) — to accelerate the progress of
  • Irish: éascaigh — to accelerate the progress of
  • Latin: expedio — to accelerate the progress of
  • Māori: whakakakama — to accelerate the progress of
  • Polish: przyspieszyć — to accelerate the progress of
  • Polish: przyspieszać — to accelerate the progress of
  • Portuguese: acelerar — to accelerate the progress of
  • Portuguese: apressar — to accelerate the progress of
  • Portuguese: agilizar — to accelerate the progress of
  • Romanian: accelera — to accelerate the progress of
  • Romanian: grăbi — to accelerate the progress of
  • Russian: поторапливать (potoraplivatʹ) — to accelerate the progress of
  • Russian: ускоря́ть (uskorjátʹ) — to accelerate the progress of
  • Russian: продвига́ть (prodvigátʹ) — to accelerate the progress of
  • Russian: спосо́бствовать (sposóbstvovatʹ) — to accelerate the progress of
  • Spanish: acelerar — to accelerate the progress of
  • Spanish: apresurar — to accelerate the progress of
  • Spanish: agilizar — to accelerate the progress of
  • Spanish: expeditar — to accelerate the progress of
  • Swedish: påskynda — to accelerate the progress of
  • Telugu: వేగిరపెట్టు (vēgirapeṭṭu) — to accelerate the progress of
  • Bulgarian: изпълнявам бързо (izpǎlnjavam bǎrzo) — to perform (a task) fast and efficiently
  • Finnish: kiirehtiä — to perform (a task) fast and efficiently
  • Greek: επισπεύδω (epispévdo) — to perform (a task) fast and efficiently
  • Irish: éascaigh — to perform (a task) fast and efficiently
  • Māori: kakama — to perform (a task) fast and efficiently
  • Marathi: जलद (jalad) — to perform (a task) fast and efficiently
  • Russian: быстро выполня́ть (bystro vypolnjátʹ) — to perform (a task) fast and efficiently
  • Russian: быстро справля́ться (bystro spravljátʹsja) — to perform (a task) fast and efficiently