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
Mayor Karen Bass has issued emergency orders to expedite recovery efforts, as the city grapples with both destruction and rebuilding.
—Amber Corrine, VIBE.com, 28 Jan. 2025
Los Angeles County supervisors also approved an emergency motion to put into place flood-control infrastructure and expedite and remove sediment in areas impacted by the fires.
—Landon Mion, Fox News, 26 Jan. 2025
The Trump administration is working on securing more aircrafts to expedite deportations, Deputy White House Chief of Staff Stephen Miller told reporters on Friday.
—Sareen Habeshian, Axios, 25 Jan. 2025
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has issued an executive order to expedite cleanup efforts and prevent fire debris from polluting waterways and stormwater systems.
—Hannah Parry, Newsweek, 23 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for expedite 
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Amber Corrine, VIBE.com, 28 Jan. 2025
Los Angeles County supervisors also approved an emergency motion to put into place flood-control infrastructure and expedite and remove sediment in areas impacted by the fires.
—Landon Mion, Fox News, 26 Jan. 2025
The Trump administration is working on securing more aircrafts to expedite deportations, Deputy White House Chief of Staff Stephen Miller told reporters on Friday.
—Sareen Habeshian, Axios, 25 Jan. 2025
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has issued an executive order to expedite cleanup efforts and prevent fire debris from polluting waterways and stormwater systems.
—Hannah Parry, Newsweek, 23 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 2 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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