Meanings
present singular third person expedites · participle present expediting · participle past expedited · past expedited
- transitiveTo accelerate the progress of.
He expedited the search by alphabetizing the papers.
2 more examples
The bodies and bogies were built by more than one firm, to expedite the work, and the electrical equipment was supplied by the British Thomson-Houston Co. Ltd.
1950 October, “Notes and News: Early Multiple-Unit Trains, C.L.R.”, in Railway Magazine, page 712[…] moreover, there are times of pressure when, to expedite deliveries, cars may be driven in what should otherwise be the running-in period at speeds that do them no good - and over long distances too.
1960 June, “British cars go by rail: I-The L.M.R. wins new Anglo-Scottish traffic”, in Trains Illustrated, page 335 - broadlytransitiveTo perform (a task) fast and efficiently.
- To perform the duties of an expediter.
- obsoletetransitiveTo free from impediment; to release or set at liberty.
comparative more expedite · superlative most expedite
- Free of impediment; unimpeded.
[…] to make the way plaine and expedite […]
[1594], Richard Hooker, edited by J[ohn] S[penser], Of the Lawes of Ecclesiastical Politie, […], 3rd edition, London: […] Will[iam] Stansby [for Matthew Lownes], published 1611, →OCLC, book III, page 91 - Expeditious; quick; prompt.
nimble and expedite […] in its operation
1671, John Tillotson, “Sermon IV. The Advantages of Religion to Particular Persons. Psalm XIX. 11.”, in The Works of the Most Reverend Dr. John Tillotson, Late Lord Archbishop of Canterbury: […], London: […] B. Aylmer, […]; [a]nd W. Rogers, […], published 1696, →OCLC1 more example
[…]Speech in general (which is a very ſhort and expedite way of conveying their Thoughts one to another)[…]
1689 (indicated as 1690), [John Locke], “Of other simple Modes”, in An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding. […], London: […] Eliz[abeth] Holt, for Thomas Basset, […], →OCLC, book II, § 7, page 111
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Latinexpedītus“unimpeded, unfettered”
- Englishexpedite
From Latin expedītus (“unimpeded, unfettered”), perfect passive participle of expediō (“bring forward, set right”).
More words from Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian ускорявам, способствам
- ускорявам (uskorjavam)to accelerate the progress of
- способствам (sposobstvam)to accelerate the progress of
- изпълнявам бързо (izpălnjavam bărzo)to perform (a task) fast and efficiently
Catalan accelerar, precipitar
- accelerarto accelerate the progress of
- precipitarto accelerate the progress of
- afanyarto accelerate the progress of
Dutch versnellen, in vaart brengen
- versnellento accelerate the progress of
- in vaart brengento accelerate the progress of
- bespoedigento accelerate the progress of
Finnish jouduttaa, kiirehtiä
- jouduttaato accelerate the progress of
- kiirehtiäto accelerate the progress of
- nopeuttaato accelerate the progress of
- kiirehtiäto perform (a task) fast and efficiently
French accélérer, précipiter
- accélérerto accelerate the progress of
- précipiterto accelerate the progress of
German beschleunigen
- beschleunigento accelerate the progress of
Greek επισπεύδω, διευκολύνω
- επισπεύδω (epispévdo)to accelerate the progress of
- διευκολύνω (diefkolýno)to accelerate the progress of
- επισπεύδω (epispévdo)to perform (a task) fast and efficiently
Irish éascaigh, éascaigh
- éascaighto accelerate the progress of
- éascaighto perform (a task) fast and efficiently
Latin expedio
- expedioto accelerate the progress of
Māori whakakakama, kakama
- whakakakamato accelerate the progress of
- kakamato perform (a task) fast and efficiently
Polish przyspieszyć, przyspieszać
- przyspieszyćto accelerate the progress of
- przyspieszaćto accelerate the progress of
Portuguese acelerar, apressar
- acelerarto accelerate the progress of
- apressarto accelerate the progress of
- agilizarto accelerate the progress of
Romanian accelera, grăbi
- accelerato accelerate the progress of
- grăbito accelerate the progress of
Russian поторапливать, ускоря́ть
- поторапливать (potoraplivatʹ)to accelerate the progress of
- ускоря́ть (uskorjátʹ)to accelerate the progress of
- продвига́ть (prodvigátʹ)to accelerate the progress of
- спосо́бствовать (sposóbstvovatʹ)to accelerate the progress of
- быстро выполня́ть (bystro vypolnjátʹ)to perform (a task) fast and efficiently
- быстро справля́ться (bystro spravljátʹsja)to perform (a task) fast and efficiently
Spanish acelerar, apresurar
- acelerarto accelerate the progress of
- apresurarto accelerate the progress of
- agilizarto accelerate the progress of
- expeditarto accelerate the progress of
Swedish påskynda
- påskyndato accelerate the progress of
Cite this entry
expedite. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/expedite
“expedite.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/expedite. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “expedite,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/expedite.
Source: expedite on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.