English Reference

Word

accelerating

Phoneticsac·cel·er·at·ing

US/ækˈsɛɫɝˌeɪtɪŋ/

UK/ɐksˈɛləɹˌeɪtɪŋ/

Definitions

01moving faster

B2

v. moving faster or increasing in speed.

v. increasing in velocity or speed. Intransitive when describing a subject's own motion; transitive when an external force is applied.

“The car was accelerating as it entered the highway to match the speed of traffic.”

“The vehicle was accelerating rapidly down the straightaway, its engine roaring as the driver pushed for a record-breaking lap time.”

Usage

Often used with 'to' or 'towards' to indicate a target speed or destination.

Synonyms

speeding upquickening

Antonyms

deceleratingslowing

02happening faster

B2

v. making a process or change happen more quickly than before.

v. causing a process, development, or change to happen at a faster rate.

“New technology is accelerating the way we share information around the world.”

“The government is accelerating the transition to renewable energy by offering significant tax incentives to homeowners who install solar panels.”

Usage

Frequently used in business and academic contexts to describe social or economic trends.

Synonyms

hasteningexpeditingspeeding up

03the act of speeding up

C1

n. the act of increasing speed or the rate at which something happens.

n. the action or process of increasing in speed or rate. Functions as a gerund noun.

“The accelerating of the project's timeline meant the team had to work through the weekend.”

“The constant accelerating and braking in heavy city traffic significantly reduces the fuel efficiency of most petrol-powered vehicles.”

Academic

Usage

While 'acceleration' is the standard noun, the gerund 'accelerating' is used to emphasize the ongoing nature of the action.

Antonyms

Real-World Examples

“A training rollout that ignores how stretched employees already are can end up accelerating the departures it was meant to prevent.”
Phys.org · 16 Aug 2026
“The approach has shown promise in reducing infection and accelerating wound healing in experiments on mice and pigs but has not yet been tested in people.”
Smithsonian Magazine · 17 Jun 2026

This entry

Level
B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency
Frequent
Updated

Scan code

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English Reference