verb · 6 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
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/fəˈsɪlɪteɪt/
/fəˈsɪləteɪt/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:F AH0 S IH1 L AH0 T EY2 T
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
verb
Meaning 1
To make easy or easier.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: ease, open the door
Antonyms: hinder, impede
2
verb
Meaning 2
To help bring about.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: hinder, impede
3
verb
Meaning 3
To preside over (a meeting, a seminar).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
verb
Meaning 4
make easier
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
you could facilitate the process by sharing your knowledge
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: ease, alleviate
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: help, assist, aid
5
verb
Meaning 5
increase the likelihood of (a response)
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
The stimulus facilitates a delayed impulse
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: cause, do, make
6
verb
Meaning 6
be of use
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
This will help to prevent accidents
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: help
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: serve
History
Etymology
Anglicisation of French faciliter (“facilitate”) through -ate (verb-forming suffix), ultimately from Latin facilis.
Across languages
Translations
73 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Arabic:
سَهَّلَ
(sahhala)
— to make easy or easier
Armenian:
դյուրացնել
(dyuracʻnel)
— to make easy or easier
Armenian:
հեշտացնել
(heštacʻnel)
— to make easy or easier
Bulgarian:
улеснявам
(ulesnjavam)
— to make easy or easier
Bulgarian:
благоприятствам
(blagoprijatstvam)
— to make easy or easier
Bulgarian:
спомагам
(spomagam)
— to make easy or easier
Bulgarian:
спомогна
(spomogna)
— to make easy or easier
Bulgarian:
улесня
(ulesnja)
— to make easy or easier
Bulgarian:
облекчавам
(oblekčavam)
— to make easy or easier
Bulgarian:
облекча
(oblekča)
— to make easy or easier
Chinese Mandarin:
使......容易
(shǐ ... róngyì)
— to make easy or easier
Chinese Mandarin:
輔助 /辅助
(fǔzhù)
— to make easy or easier
Chinese Mandarin:
促进
(cùjìn)
— to make easy or easier
Chinese Mandarin:
幫助 /帮助
(bāngzhù)
— to make easy or easier
Czech:
usnadnit
— to make easy or easier
Czech:
ulehčit
— to make easy or easier
Danish:
facilitere
— to make easy or easier
Dutch:
vergemakkelijken
— to make easy or easier
Dutch:
faciliteren
— to make easy or easier
Esperanto:
faciligi
— to make easy or easier
Finnish:
helpottaa
— to make easy or easier
French:
faciliter
— to make easy or easier
German:
erleichtern
— to make easy or easier
German:
fördern
— to make easy or easier
Greek:
διευκολύνω
(diefkolýno)
— to make easy or easier
Italian:
facilitare
— to make easy or easier
Italian:
agevolare
— to make easy or easier
Korean:
일을 용이하게 하다
(ireul yong'ihage hada)
— to make easy or easier
Kyrgyz:
азайтуу
(azaytuu)
— to make easy or easier
Kyrgyz:
басаңдатуу
(basaŋdatuu)
— to make easy or easier
Kyrgyz:
жеңилдетүү
(jeŋildetüü)
— to make easy or easier
Kyrgyz:
оңойлотуу
(oŋoylotuu)
— to make easy or easier
Ligurian:
façilitâ
— to make easy or easier
Māori:
huawaere
— to make easy or easier
Māori:
tūāpā
— to make easy or easier
Norman:
faciliter
— to make easy or easier
Norwegian Bokmål:
gjøre lettere
— to make easy or easier
Norwegian Bokmål:
forenkle
— to make easy or easier
Norwegian Nynorsk:
gjere lettare
— to make easy or easier
Norwegian Nynorsk:
forenkle
— to make easy or easier
Norwegian Nynorsk:
forenkla
— to make easy or easier
Persian:
تسهیل کردن
(tashil kardan)
— to make easy or easier
Polish:
ułatwiać
— to make easy or easier
Polish:
torować
— to make easy or easier
Polish:
upraszczać
— to make easy or easier
Portuguese:
facilitar
— to make easy or easier
Romanian:
facilita
— to make easy or easier
Romanian:
ușura
— to make easy or easier
Romanian:
înlesni
— to make easy or easier
Russian:
спосо́бствовать
(sposóbstvovatʹ)
— to make easy or easier
Russian:
поспосо́бствовать
(posposóbstvovatʹ)
— to make easy or easier
Russian:
помога́ть
(pomogátʹ)
— to make easy or easier
Russian:
помо́чь
(pomóčʹ)
— to make easy or easier
Russian:
облегча́ть
(oblexčátʹ)
— to make easy or easier
Russian:
облегчи́ть
(oblexčítʹ)
— to make easy or easier
Russian:
соде́йствовать
(sodéjstvovatʹ)
— to make easy or easier
Russian:
посоде́йствовать
(posodéjstvovatʹ)
— to make easy or easier
Slovak:
uľahčiť
— to make easy or easier
Spanish:
facilitar
— to make easy or easier
Swedish:
underlätta
— to make easy or easier
Swedish:
förenkla
— to make easy or easier
Turkish:
kolaylaştırmak
— to make easy or easier
Ottoman Turkish:
قولایلامق
(kolaylamak)
— to make easy or easier
Ukrainian:
поле́гшувати
(poléhšuvaty)
— to make easy or easier
Ukrainian:
поле́гши́ти
(poléhšýty)
— to make easy or easier
Ukrainian:
сприя́ти
(spryjáty)
— to make easy or easier
Bulgarian:
способствам
(sposobstvam)
— to help bring about
Finnish:
helpottaa
— to help bring about
Māori:
tūāpā
— to help bring about
Ukrainian:
сприя́ти
(spryjáty)
— to help bring about
Finnish:
johtaa puhetta
— to preside over (a meeting, a seminar)
Finnish:
johtaa
— to preside over (a meeting, a seminar)
Finnish:
fasilitoida
— to preside over (a meeting, a seminar)