Explanation at your level:
To expedite means to make something go fast. If you are waiting for a package, you want the company to expedite the shipping. It helps things finish sooner. We use it when we need help to move things along quickly.
When you have a project, you might need to expedite it. This means you do extra work to finish it before the deadline. It is a very useful word in work or school when you are in a big hurry.
In a professional setting, you will often hear people ask to expedite a request. For example, if your visa application is taking too long, you might pay a fee to expedite the process. It implies that you are taking action to remove delays.
Using expedite shows you understand formal register. It is more precise than 'hurry.' You might expedite a shipment, a decision, or a legislative bill. It suggests an active, managed effort to reduce the time taken for a specific procedure.
The nuance of expedite lies in the removal of friction. It is not just about speed, but about efficiency. In academic or corporate discourse, it indicates a strategic decision to bypass standard waiting periods or to allocate extra resources to ensure a swift outcome.
Etymologically, expedite retains the sense of liberation from encumbrances. In literary or high-level political contexts, it can describe the clearing of obstacles to allow for progress. It is a word of agency; the subject is the one actively 'freeing' the process from the constraints of time or bureaucracy.
Palabra en 30 segundos
- Expedite means to make a process faster.
- It is a formal word used in business.
- It comes from the Latin for 'freeing the feet'.
- Use it for tasks, not people.
Think of expedite as the ultimate 'speed-up' button for tasks and processes. When you expedite something, you aren't just doing it quickly; you are actively finding ways to clear out the junk or the waiting time that might be slowing things down.
It is a fantastic word to use when you want to sound professional and efficient. Whether it is a shipping order, a passport application, or a complex business project, using the word expedite shows that you are focused on results and efficiency.
The word expedite comes from the Latin word expedire. Interestingly, this Latin root literally means 'to free the feet'—ex (out) plus pedis (foot).
Think about it: if your feet are tangled in a rope, you can't walk or run. By 'freeing your feet,' you can move forward quickly. This is exactly how the word evolved from a physical act of untying a knot to the metaphorical act of untying a bureaucratic or process-based knot to get things moving again.
You will mostly hear expedite in business, legal, or formal contexts. It is a 'high-register' word, which means it sounds a bit more sophisticated than just saying 'hurry up' or 'speed up.'
Commonly, we talk about expediting a process, expediting delivery, or expediting a request. It is rarely used in casual conversation with friends—you wouldn't say, 'Hey, please expedite passing the salt!'—but it is perfect for emails to your boss or customer service inquiries.
While expedite is a formal verb, it relates to many idioms about speed. 1. Fast-track: To prioritize a project to finish it early. 2. Cut to the chase: To get to the main point quickly. 3. Step on it: A casual way to say hurry. 4. Clear the path: Removing obstacles for progress. 5. Make short work of: Finishing something quickly and efficiently.
Expedite is a regular verb. The past tense is expedited, and the present participle is expediting. It is a transitive verb, meaning it needs an object—you must expedite something.
The pronunciation is EK-spuh-dite. The stress is on the first syllable. It rhymes with words like bedight or light (if you ignore the prefix). It is a great word to practice for clear, crisp enunciation.
Fun Fact
It comes from 'ex' (out) and 'pedis' (foot), meaning to untangle one's feet.
Pronunciation Guide
Clear 'ek' sound, stress on first syllable.
Very similar to UK, crisp 't' at the end.
Common Errors
- Mispronouncing the 'x' as 's'
- Putting stress on the second syllable
- Dropping the final 't'
Rhymes With
Difficulty Rating
Common in business news.
Great for professional emails.
Useful in formal meetings.
Easy to hear.
What to Learn Next
Prerequisites
Learn Next
Avanzado
Grammar to Know
Transitive Verbs
I expedited the order.
Formal Register
Choosing 'expedite' over 'hurry'.
Verb Suffixes
Expediting (ing form).
Examples by Level
Please expedite my order.
Please make my order go fast.
Verb + object.
We must expedite this.
We must do this fast.
Modal verb usage.
Can you expedite it?
Can you make it fast?
Question form.
He will expedite it.
He will make it fast.
Future tense.
They want to expedite.
They want to hurry.
Infinitive.
I need to expedite.
I need to hurry.
Need to + verb.
Expedite the work now.
Do the work fast.
Imperative.
Did you expedite it?
Did you make it fast?
Past question.
We need to expedite the delivery.
The manager will expedite the request.
Please expedite the shipping process.
They expedited the construction work.
Can we expedite the payment?
She expedited the paperwork.
The team tried to expedite the project.
We can expedite your application.
The company offered to expedite the repair.
We are looking for ways to expedite the hiring process.
The new software will expedite data entry.
He requested to expedite the transit of goods.
The government expedited the relief efforts.
Please expedite the approval of this document.
They expedited the meeting to finish early.
We need to expedite the decision-making process.
The CEO decided to expedite the merger negotiations.
New regulations were introduced to expedite the permit process.
We have expedited the production schedule to meet the deadline.
The courier service offers an option to expedite international shipments.
The committee worked to expedite the legislative review.
They managed to expedite the resolution of the conflict.
The architect expedited the design phase.
The bank expedited the loan approval.
The administration sought to expedite the implementation of the new policy.
Technological advancements have expedited the pace of global trade.
The diplomat worked to expedite the peace treaty negotiations.
The judge expedited the hearing due to the urgency of the case.
We must expedite the transition to renewable energy sources.
The logistics team expedited the supply chain to prevent shortages.
The editor expedited the publication of the research paper.
The organization expedited the distribution of aid to the victims.
The subtle intervention served to expedite the resolution of the stalemate.
The bureaucratic reform was designed to expedite the processing of citizenship applications.
The rapid deployment of resources helped to expedite the recovery effort.
The committee's mandate was to expedite the transition to a more efficient model.
The streamlined workflow serves to expedite the entire creative process.
The urgency of the situation forced them to expedite the evacuation.
The project manager's primary goal was to expedite the completion of the infrastructure.
The legislative body voted to expedite the passage of the emergency bill.
Colocaciones comunes
Idioms & Expressions
"Fast-track"
To prioritize a task to get it done quickly.
We decided to fast-track the project.
business"Step on the gas"
To increase speed.
We need to step on the gas to finish today.
casual"Clear the way"
To remove obstacles.
The new law clears the way for construction.
neutral"Put on the fast track"
To give special priority.
His application was put on the fast track.
business"Make haste"
To hurry.
We must make haste if we want to arrive on time.
literary"Speed things along"
To help a process move faster.
Let's help speed things along by organizing the files.
neutralEasily Confused
Both mean speed up.
Accelerate is often physical speed; expedite is process speed.
Accelerate the car / Expedite the paperwork.
Both relate to processes.
Facilitate means to make easy; expedite means to make fast.
Facilitate the meeting / Expedite the decision.
Both mean to speed up.
Hasten is more literary/old-fashioned.
Do not hasten to judge.
Same root.
Expedition is a journey, not a verb.
We went on an expedition.
Sentence Patterns
We need to expedite the [noun].
We need to expedite the review.
Please expedite the [noun] as soon as possible.
Please expedite the shipment as soon as possible.
The team worked to expedite the [noun].
The team worked to expedite the project.
Can you expedite [noun]?
Can you expedite this?
It is necessary to expedite the [noun].
It is necessary to expedite the process.
Familia de palabras
Nouns
Verbs
Adjectives
Relacionado
How to Use It
7/10
Formality Scale
Errores comunes
Expedite already implies 'up' or 'forward'.
You expedite a process, not the speed itself.
It needs a direct object.
Expedite sounds too stiff for friends.
You expedite processes, not people.
Tips
Memory Palace
Imagine a race where you untie your shoes to run faster.
Business Emails
Use it when asking for a status update.
Professionalism
It makes you sound organized.
Verb Pattern
Always follow with a noun.
Clear T
Make sure to pronounce the final T.
Don't add 'up'
Just say expedite.
Latin Roots
It means 'free the feet'.
Synonym Swap
Replace 'hurry' with 'expedite' in formal writing.
Context
Use it for processes, not people.
Confidence
Say it with confidence in meetings.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Ex (out) + Ped (foot) = Get your feet out of the mud to run faster!
Visual Association
A runner untying their shoelaces from a knot.
Word Web
Desafío
Use 'expedite' in an email today.
Origen de la palabra
Latin
Original meaning: To free the feet
Contexto cultural
None, but can sound cold if used in personal relationships.
Common in corporate and government offices.
Practice in Real Life
Real-World Contexts
At work
- expedite the request
- expedite the review
- expedite the project
Shipping
- expedite delivery
- expedite shipping
- expedite transport
Legal
- expedite the hearing
- expedite the case
- expedite the process
Government
- expedite the application
- expedite the permit
- expedite the approval
Conversation Starters
"Have you ever had to expedite a project?"
"What is the best way to expedite a slow process?"
"Do you think technology helps to expedite our daily tasks?"
"When is it better to slow down rather than expedite?"
"Have you ever paid extra to expedite shipping?"
Journal Prompts
Describe a time you had to expedite a task.
Why do people feel the need to expedite everything?
Write about a process that you wish could be expedited.
Is 'fast' always 'better'? Discuss.
Preguntas frecuentes
8 preguntasYes, but expedite is more formal and usually refers to processes.
It sounds very unnatural; use 'hurry up' instead.
Expediter or expedition (though expedition usually means a journey).
Yes, it implies efficiency.
No, it means to make it go faster once it has started.
E-X-P-E-D-I-T-E.
Yes, very common in business emails.
Delay or hinder.
Ponte a prueba
We need to ___ the delivery.
Expedite means to make it go faster.
What does expedite mean?
It means to accelerate a process.
Can you expedite a person?
You expedite tasks or processes.
Word
Significado
Matching synonyms and antonyms.
Subject + verb + object.
Puntuación: /5
Summary
To expedite is to clear the path and speed up the process.
- Expedite means to make a process faster.
- It is a formal word used in business.
- It comes from the Latin for 'freeing the feet'.
- Use it for tasks, not people.
Memory Palace
Imagine a race where you untie your shoes to run faster.
Business Emails
Use it when asking for a status update.
Professionalism
It makes you sound organized.
Verb Pattern
Always follow with a noun.
