acceleration

noun

ac·​cel·​er·​a·​tion ik-ˌse-lə-ˈrā-shən How to pronounce acceleration (audio)
(ˌ)ak-
Synonyms of acceleration
1
a
: the act or process of moving faster or happening more quickly : the act or process of accelerating
rapid acceleration
the acceleration of economic growth
b
: ability to accelerate
a car with good acceleration
2
physics : the rate of change of velocity with respect to time
broadly : change of velocity

Examples of acceleration in a Sentence

The car delivers quick acceleration. There has been some acceleration in economic growth. There has been an acceleration in economic growth.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
According to Reuters, JPMorgan analysts read the move as an acceleration of barrels already promised, not a fresh intervention. — Heather Occhino, Fortune, 12 Oct. 2026 Morgan Stanley names eBay a top pick Morgan Stanley sees growth acceleration for eBay. — Michael Bloom, CNBC, 12 Oct. 2026 Europe saw an acceleration, with revenues increasing 4 percent in the third quarter after a flat second quarter. — Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 12 Oct. 2026 Yet in a culture that equates progress with perpetual acceleration, to pause is to risk obsolescence. — Shanti Escalante-De Mattei, ARTnews.com, 12 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for acceleration

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French acceleratiun, borrowed from Latin accelerātiōn-, accelerātiō, from accelerāre "to accelerate" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of action nouns

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of acceleration was in the 15th century

Phrases Containing acceleration

Rhymes for acceleration

See All Rhymes for acceleration

Browse Nearby Words

accelerating
acceleration
acceleration coefficient
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Acceleration.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/acceleration. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

acceleration

noun
ac·​cel·​er·​a·​tion ik-ˌsel-ə-ˈrā-shən How to pronounce acceleration (audio)
ak-
1
: the act or process of accelerating : the state of being accelerated
2
: the rate of change of velocity with respect to time
also : change in velocity

Medical Definition

acceleration

noun
ac·​cel·​er·​a·​tion ik-ˌsel-ə-ˈrā-shən, (ˌ)ak- How to pronounce acceleration (audio)
1
: the act or process of accelerating : the state of being accelerated
2
: change of velocity
also : the rate of this change
3
: advancement in mental growth or achievement beyond the average for one's age

More from Merriam-Webster on acceleration

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for acceleration

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about acceleration

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