decelerate

verb

de·​cel·​er·​ate (ˌ)dē-ˈse-lə-ˌrāt How to pronounce decelerate (audio)
decelerated; decelerating

transitive verb

1
: to reduce the speed of : slow down
decelerate a car
2
: to decrease the rate of progress of
decelerate growth
decelerate soil erosion

intransitive verb

: to move at decreasing speed
deceleration noun
decelerator noun

Examples of decelerate in a Sentence

she decelerated the car as we entered the school zone
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Dell and Australian aviation consultant Trevor Jensen told Reuters the reason the plane did not decelerate after hitting the runway was unclear. David Faris, Newsweek, 29 Dec. 2024 The trio gets its juice from a 6.0-kWh battery pack that can be recharged while decelerating. Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 11 Dec. 2024 Growth has decelerated from 34% YoY in Q1 and 27% YoY in Q2, but MRR trends point to growth stabilizing around 26% or reaccelerating slightly come Q4 and into 2025 with some pricing and merchant growth tailwinds. Beth Kindig, Forbes, 5 Dec. 2024 The firm expects revenue growth to decelerate in the face of increasing competition from Eli Lilly’s GLP-1 medication. Brian Evans, CNBC, 18 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for decelerate 

Word History

Etymology

de- + accelerate

First Known Use

1899, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of decelerate was in 1899

Dictionary Entries Near decelerate

Cite this Entry

“Decelerate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/decelerate. Accessed 5 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

decelerate

verb
de·​cel·​er·​ate (ˈ)dē-ˈsel-ə-ˌrāt How to pronounce decelerate (audio)
decelerated; decelerating
: to move or cause to move at decreasing speed : slow down
deceleration noun

Medical Definition

decelerate

verb
de·​cel·​er·​ate (ˈ)dē-ˈsel-ə-ˌrāt How to pronounce decelerate (audio)
decelerated; decelerating

transitive verb

: to reduce the speed of : slow down

intransitive verb

: to move at decreasing speed
deceleration noun

More from Merriam-Webster on decelerate

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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