accelerate
gb/æksˈɛlɚˌeɪt/ us/æksˈɛlɚˌeɪt/
B1
English
~ 4200
gyorsít, felgyorsul, felgyorsít, meggyorsít, siettet, gyorsul
VERB
B1
1
gyorsít
A2
felgyorsul
B1
Usage pattern:
to accelerate [something]
The car accelerated as it entered the highway.
Az autó felgyorsult, amikor felhajtott az autópályára.
She pressed the gas pedal to accelerate.
Rálépett a gázpedálra, hogy gyorsítson.
The train accelerated out of the station, gaining speed quickly.
Cyclists can accelerate faster on lighter bikes.
The runner accelerated in the final 100 meters.
Learner examples
The car accelerated on the road.
Az autó felgyorsult az úton.
Please accelerate after the light turns green.
Kérlek, gyorsíts, miután zöldre vált a lámpa.
The bike accelerates when you push hard.
The bus accelerated to pass the truck.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'accelerate' with 'exaggerate' due to similar sounds, but they have completely different meanings.
Meaning
Increase speed or move faster
Collocations
accelerate quickly
|accelerate rapidly
|accelerate smoothly
|accelerate sharply
Synonyms
speed up (More informal and commonly used in everyday speech.)
Antonyms
slow down (Means to reduce speed, the opposite of accelerating.)
Themes
transportation
|physics
|daily life
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To start going faster or make something go faster.
To begin to move more quickly or to make something move more quickly.
VERB
B2
2
Usage pattern:
to accelerate [a process/event]
The new policy will accelerate economic growth.
Az új szakpolitika felgyorsítja majd a gazdasági növekedést.
Technology has accelerated the pace of communication.
A technológia felgyorsította a kommunikáció ütemét.
The treatment can accelerate recovery time.
They hope to accelerate the approval process.
Climate change is accelerating the melting of glaciers.
Learner examples
The new plan will accelerate work.
Az új terv felgyorsítja a munkát.
Good tools accelerate learning.
A jó eszközök felgyorsítják a tanulást.
This medicine will accelerate healing.
We want to accelerate the project.
Common mistake:
Learners may only associate 'accelerate' with physical speed, not realizing it can also apply to processes or events.
Meaning
Make something happen faster
Collocations
accelerate growth
|accelerate development
|accelerate progress
|accelerate change
Synonyms
hasten (Slightly more formal; often used in written or literary contexts.)
Antonyms
delay (Means to make something happen later, the opposite of accelerating a process.)
Themes
business
|science
|technology
|work
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To make something happen faster or earlier.
To cause something to happen more quickly or sooner than expected.
VERB
C1
TECHNICAL
3
An object accelerates when a net force is applied.
Egy test gyorsul, ha eredő erő hat rá.
The spacecraft accelerated as it left Earth's gravity.
Az űrhajó gyorsult, ahogy elhagyta a Föld gravitációs terét.
In free fall, objects accelerate due to gravity.
The particle accelerates in the magnetic field.
Learner examples
A ball accelerates when it rolls down a hill.
Egy labda gyorsul, amikor legurul egy dombon.
In space, rockets accelerate slowly at first.
Az űrben a rakéták eleinte lassan gyorsulnak.
Gravity makes things accelerate when they fall.
Meaning
Increase rate of acceleration
Collocations
accelerate uniformly
|accelerate at a constant rate
Synonyms
gain velocity (Technical term focusing on vector quantity in physics.)
Antonyms
decelerate (Technical opposite referring to a decrease in velocity over time.)
Themes
physics
|science
Definition
In science, to change how fast something moves, including speed and direction.
In physics, to increase the velocity of an object over time, considering both speed and direction.
Grammar
Dictionary form
accelerate
IPA
GB/æksˈɛlɚˌeɪt/
US/æksˈɛlɚˌeɪt/
Syllables & stress
ac - cel - er - ate (4 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (cel)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: accelerate
- 3rd Person Singular: accelerates
- Present Participle: accelerating
- Past: accelerated
Word family
Forms
accelerates
verb
accelerating
verb
accelerated
verb
Core family
acceleration
noun B1
accelerator
noun
Negative and opposite forms
decelerate
verb B2
deceleration
noun
Advanced or less common
accelerant
noun C1
Expressions
accelerate development
1/æksˈɛlɚˌeɪt dɪvˈɛləpmənt/
fixed phrase
Speed up development process
To make something new or better more quickly.
Examples
- Government funding can accelerate development of new drugs.
- They are working hard to accelerate development of the app.
accelerate growth
1/æksˈɛlɚˌeɪt ɡɹˈoʊθ/
fixed phrase
Make growth happen faster
To help something grow or develop more quickly.
Examples
- Investing in education can accelerate growth in the economy.
- The company is using technology to accelerate growth.
accelerate progress
1/æksˈɛlɚˌeɪt pɹˈɑɡɹɛs/
fixed phrase
Make progress faster
To make it easier or quicker to reach a goal.
Examples
- International cooperation can accelerate progress on climate goals.
- Better training will accelerate progress in skill development.