accelerant

noun

ac·​cel·​er·​ant ik-ˈse-lə-rənt How to pronounce accelerant (audio)
ak-
: a substance used to accelerate a process (such as the spreading of a fire)

Examples of accelerant in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The war in Ukraine, however, has poured high-octane accelerant on these embers of cooperation, and the resulting collaborations have damaged Western interests. Christopher S. Chivvis, Foreign Affairs, 18 Mar. 2025 Later on, the suspect was believed to have taken something off the food cart and used it as an accelerant to set the man on fire after the victim ducked into a club, per the Post. Brenton Blanchet, People.com, 16 Mar. 2025 Others are worried that a shutdown could act as an accelerant for Elon Musk’s efforts to gut the federal workforce. Jonathan Easley, The Hill, 12 Mar. 2025 But the biggest fire accelerant was the homes themselves. Jeff Goodell, Rolling Stone, 13 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for accelerant

Word History

First Known Use

1824, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of accelerant was in 1824

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Cite this Entry

“Accelerant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/accelerant. Accessed 5 Apr. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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