pick up speed/momentum
idiom
: to begin to have more speed/momentum
The cyclists quickly picked up speed as they headed down the mountain.
His campaign has begun to pick up momentum.
Examples of pick up speed/momentum in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
As Connor McDavid gathered the puck in his own end and wheeled around to pick up speed, Matheson did not hesitate one second.
—
Arpon Basu, The Athletic, 22 Nov. 2024
Court records describe how the Baltimore Police Department’s helicopter crew assisted them by monitoring the movements of the vehicle — following it after Lawrence began to pick up speed and drive erratically.
—Maggie Ybarra, Baltimore Sun, 7 Nov. 2024
At the start of the race, Richardson stumbled but managed to pick up speed and finish in first place with a time of 10.71 seconds.
—Marley Malenfant, Austin American-Statesman, 24 June 2024
By Karina Tsui | CNN Powerful winds that fueled fast-moving wildfires across Southern California this week are expected to pick up momentum on Thursday –– worsening conditions for firefighters who are already battling limited visibility to save lives.
—Cnn.com, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for pick up speed/momentum 
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.
Arpon Basu, The Athletic, 22 Nov. 2024
Court records describe how the Baltimore Police Department’s helicopter crew assisted them by monitoring the movements of the vehicle — following it after Lawrence began to pick up speed and drive erratically.
—Maggie Ybarra, Baltimore Sun, 7 Nov. 2024
At the start of the race, Richardson stumbled but managed to pick up speed and finish in first place with a time of 10.71 seconds.
—Marley Malenfant, Austin American-Statesman, 24 June 2024
By Karina Tsui | CNN Powerful winds that fueled fast-moving wildfires across Southern California this week are expected to pick up momentum on Thursday –– worsening conditions for firefighters who are already battling limited visibility to save lives.
—Cnn.com, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for pick up speed/momentum
Dictionary Entries Near pick up speed/momentum
Cite this Entry
“Pick up speed/momentum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pick%20up%20speed%2Fmomentum. Accessed 24 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share