expedite
verb
ex·pe·dite
ˈek-spə-ˌdīt 
expedited; expediting
1
: to accelerate the process or progress of : speed up
2
: to execute promptly
Did you know?
Need someone to do something in a hurry? You can tell that person to step on it—or you can tell them expedite it. Figurative feet are involved in both cases, though less obviously in the second choice. Expedite comes from the Latin verb expedire, meaning “to free from entanglement” or “to release (a person) especially from a confined position.” The feet come in at that word’s root: it traces back to Latin ped- or pes, meaning “foot.” Expedient and expedition also stepped into English by way of expedire.
Examples of expedite in a Sentence
During the fire season they wear a semblance of uniform intended to expedite the rush when the siren howls …
—
Tom Harpole, Air & Space, August/September 1993
Overnight he found himself coordinating the train and ship schedules and expediting the loading and unloading of 15,000 officers and men …
—Neil Sheehan, A Bright Shining Lie, 1988
This final phase was never actually completed because of the need to expedite an airmobile force to Vietnam.
—Shelby L. Stanton, Anatomy of a Division, 1987
After the war its leaders were stigmatized as collaborators and accused of helping to expedite the murderous work of the Nazis.
—Bernard Wasserstein, New York Times Book Review, 24 May 1987
Tom Harpole, Air & Space, August/September 1993
Overnight he found himself coordinating the train and ship schedules and expediting the loading and unloading of 15,000 officers and men …
—Neil Sheehan, A Bright Shining Lie, 1988
This final phase was never actually completed because of the need to expedite an airmobile force to Vietnam.
—Shelby L. Stanton, Anatomy of a Division, 1987
After the war its leaders were stigmatized as collaborators and accused of helping to expedite the murderous work of the Nazis.
—Bernard Wasserstein, New York Times Book Review, 24 May 1987
Recent Examples on the Web
The governor activated emergency protocols, including accelerated salt deliveries, and waived trucker hour limits to expedite road treatment.
—Artemis Moshtaghian, CNN, 8 Feb. 2025
Former mayoral candidate Rick Caruso is launching a non-profit that aims to pressure the government to expedite the cleanup and recovery in the wake of January’s devastating L.A. fires.
—Pat Saperstein, Variety, 3 Feb. 2025
Porter County Commissioners decided to expedite the project by foregoing federal dollars and financing the project on its own.
—Jim Woods, Chicago Tribune, 1 Feb. 2025
This action and the agency's designations to expedite the drug's development and review underscore FDA's commitment to approving safe and effective alternatives to opioids for pain management.
—Dan Perry, Newsweek, 31 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for expedite 
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Artemis Moshtaghian, CNN, 8 Feb. 2025
Former mayoral candidate Rick Caruso is launching a non-profit that aims to pressure the government to expedite the cleanup and recovery in the wake of January’s devastating L.A. fires.
—Pat Saperstein, Variety, 3 Feb. 2025
Porter County Commissioners decided to expedite the project by foregoing federal dollars and financing the project on its own.
—Jim Woods, Chicago Tribune, 1 Feb. 2025
This action and the agency's designations to expedite the drug's development and review underscore FDA's commitment to approving safe and effective alternatives to opioids for pain management.
—Dan Perry, Newsweek, 31 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for expedite
Dictionary Entries Near expedite
Cite this Entry
“Expedite.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/expedite. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
expedite
verb
ex·pe·dite
ˈek-spə-ˌdīt
expedited; expediting
: to speed up the process or progress of
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