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
Wisconsin, and Milwaukee in particular, has thousands of lead pipes yet to replace and has received millions of federal dollars to expedite the process.
—Madeline Heim, Journal Sentinel, 20 Nov. 2024
The public arena will likely struggle both to address climate change and to rezone areas in the attempt to expedite house construction.
—Paul Weinstein Jr., Forbes, 20 Nov. 2024
Before Trump's inauguration, the Biden administration faces a tight deadline to expedite $7.1 billion in weapons from Pentagon stockpiles.
—Matt Robison, Newsweek, 19 Nov. 2024
Opponents like Risher hope to secure life sentences for these prisoners since the former reality TV star helped expedite 13 executions during the last six months of his first term.
—N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA TODAY, 19 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for expedite 
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Madeline Heim, Journal Sentinel, 20 Nov. 2024
The public arena will likely struggle both to address climate change and to rezone areas in the attempt to expedite house construction.
—Paul Weinstein Jr., Forbes, 20 Nov. 2024
Before Trump's inauguration, the Biden administration faces a tight deadline to expedite $7.1 billion in weapons from Pentagon stockpiles.
—Matt Robison, Newsweek, 19 Nov. 2024
Opponents like Risher hope to secure life sentences for these prisoners since the former reality TV star helped expedite 13 executions during the last six months of his first term.
—N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA TODAY, 19 Nov. 2024
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 28 Nov. 2024.
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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