English Reference

Phrasal verb

speed up

Irregular verb

Forms

Infinitive

speed up

Past

speeded up

Past participle

speeded up

Definition

phrasal verb. to go faster or to make something happen more quickly.

phrasal verb. to increase the rate of motion or the pace of a process. The verb functions both transitively and intransitively.

Examples

“The car began to speed up as it reached the highway.”

“We need to speed up the hiring process if we want to find a new manager by next month.”

“Technological innovations in the late twentieth century served to speed up global communication to a degree previously thought impossible.”

Examples

simple

“The car began to speed up as it reached the highway.”

contextual

“We need to speed up the hiring process if we want to find a new manager by next month.”

complex

“Technological innovations in the late twentieth century served to speed up global communication to a degree previously thought impossible.”

Usage

when used transitively, the object can be placed between 'speed' and 'up' or after the particle.

Teaching tip

contrast with 'accelerate' (more formal/technical) and 'hurry up' (often used as an imperative to people); 'speed up' is the standard neutral choice for both objects and processes.

Pitfall

The driver speeded up to pass the truck.

The driver sped up to pass the truck.

while 'speeded' is sometimes used in specific legal contexts like 'speeding ticket', the irregular past tense 'sped' is the standard form for this phrasal verb.

Phrasal verb

Particles

up

Separability

optional

Pattern

speed (+ object) + up

Synonyms

acceleratehastenquickengo faster

Antonyms

slow downdeceleratedelay

Word family

NOUN

ADJECTIVE

ADVERB

PHRASAL VERB

speed up(A2)

Grammar

Phrasal verbs (introduction)

This entry

Exam level
CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A2 KeyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.3.0–4.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 2.0–2.524–43TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.225–549
Frequency
Very common
Level
A2 · Elementary
Updated

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English Reference