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.
As this cycle matures, AI enables further acceleration across robotics, advanced data analytics, satellite IoT backhaul, digital twins and sustainability. — Alper Yegin, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026 Bringing home a 65-inch 4K television equipped with discrete local dimming zones, high brightness output, and 144Hz VRR gaming acceleration, under $500, is an extraordinary value. — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 31 Aug. 2026 But research that began in the 1990s has shown that something sparked an acceleration of the universe’s expansion about 6 billion years ago, and the cause remains unknown. — Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026 Broadcom guided for a major acceleration in AI semiconductor revenue in the second half of its fiscal 2026, so the company needs to follow through with both its third-quarter numbers and its fourth-quarter outlook. — Kevin Stankiewicz,zev Fima, CNBC, 30 Aug. 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 4 Sep. 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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