Accelerates is the verb form meaning to speeds up or increases in rate. In many contexts it describes something moving faster over time, such as a process, a vehicle, or a project gaining momentum. The word conveys a sense of acceleration becoming more pronounced or sustained, often with a shift from gradual to rapid pace.
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- Commonly mispronounced as ac-CEL-er-ates with excessive syllable emphasis on the second syllable; fix by keeping the second syllable as a quick, neutral schwa. - They may drop the final /t/ or merge it with /s/ into /ts/ blend; ensure a distinct /t/ release before the /s/. - Final cluster /reɪts/ can blur in fast speech; practice by isolating /reɪts/ and linking with the preceding syllables. - You might over-round vowels in non-rhotic regions; aim for a flat /æ/ in the first vowel and crisp /ɪ/ or /ə/ in the middle. - When integrating in connected speech, avoid gapping the word; maintain full syllabic energy to preserve intelligibility.
- US: Expect stronger rhoticity; the /r/ should be perceived even in rapid speech; keep /æ/ bright, /ə/ subdued. - UK: Non-rhotic tendency; /r/ is silent unless followed by a vowel; vowels can be slightly shorter; ensure crisp /t/ with a light touch. - AU: Similar to UK but with slightly broader vowels; non-rhotic; maintain clear boundary before /reɪts/. IPA references: US /ˈæk.səl.ə.reɪts/, UK /ˈæk.səl.ə.reɪts/, AU /ˈæk.səl.ə.reɪts/.
"The race car accelerates from a cautious start to a blistering sprint."
"Economic growth accelerates as demand rises and production scales up."
"As the software update takes effect, the system accelerates and handles traffic more efficiently."
"Her learning accelerates once she starts applying theory to real projects."
Accelerates derives from the Latin accelerare, meaning to hasten or to cause to move faster. Accelerare itself blends ad- (toward, at) with celer (swift) and the suffix -are, indicating a verb. The root celer comes from Latin celer, meaning swift. In Late Latin, accelerare took on the sense of making something go faster, then entered English in the early modern period with the broader sense of increasing speed or rate. Through the centuries, accelerates gained use in both physical contexts (motion, machinery) and figurative contexts (rates, processes, economies). The verb form accelerates appears with 3rd person singular present tense usage, as in “the engine accelerates” or “the process accelerates.” The noun and adjective forms share the same root, highlighting the core idea of increasing velocity or pace. First known uses appear in technical writings and scientific discourse as instrumentation and analysis demanded more precise language for speed changes, later expanding into everyday usage with self-improvement, business, and technology contexts.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "accelerates" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "accelerates" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "accelerates"
-tes sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Pronounce as /ˈæk.səl.ə.reɪts/. Primary stress on the first syllable: AC-sel-er-ates. The second syllable uses a schwa (ə). The suffix -ates sounds like /eɪts/ in British and American speech. Tip: start with a crisp /k/ release after /æ/; keep the /l/ light, avoid over-rolling the /r/ in non-rhotic accents. You’ll hear the final /t/ in careful, but in rapid speech it may be a light tap. Audio reference: standard dictionaries provide native-speaker pronunciations you can listen to to match the four-level rhythm.
Common errors include: (1) placing stress on the wrong syllable, often saying ac-CEL-er-ates; (2) reducing the first syllable too much, producing /əˈkseləreɪts/; (3) not clearly enunciating the /t/ at the end in careful speech. Correct by ensuring primary stress on the first syllable with a crisp /æ/ then a clear /l/ and /ə/ before the /reɪts/. Practice slow enunciation: /ˈæk.səl.ə.reɪts/ before speeding up.
US/UK/AU share a similar primary stress on the first syllable: /ˈæk.səl.ə.reɪts/. Differences lie in vowel qualities: US tends to cede smoother /ə/ (schwa) and a more rhotic /r/ articulation in fast speech; UK often exhibits less rhoticity in some regions, with a slightly rounded /æ/ and crisp /t/; AU generally aligns with non-rhotic tendencies but maintains a clear /ɹ/ absence, with vowels a touch broader. In connected speech, US may show stronger flapping for nearby vowels; keep a steady tempo in UK/AU variants.
The difficulty centers on the multi-syllabic rhythm and the final -ates cluster. The sequence /ək.səl.ə.reɪts/ demands precise articulation across four syllables with a clear /r/ before a long /eɪ/ and final /ts/ cluster. Beginners often misplace stress or insert extra vowels, leading to /əkˈseləreɪt/ or /æksəˈleɪts/. Focus on maintaining even tempo and a firm /t/ release at the end. IPA cues: /ˈæk.səl.ə.reɪts/.
A unique issue is maintaining the contrast between the mid syllable /səl/ and the following /ə/ before /reɪts/. Mispronunciations often blend /s/ into adjacent vowels, creating /ˈæk.səl.eɪts/ or /ˈæk.səleɪts/. The recommended focus is on a tight consonant boundary after /s/ and an explicit schwa for the second syllable, then a crisp /reɪts/ final. Practice slowly, then reintroduce speed.
🗣️ Voice search tip: These questions are optimized for voice search. Try asking your voice assistant any of these questions about "accelerates"!
- Shadowing: Listen to a native speaker saying a sentence with accelerates and repeat exactly, including rhythm and intonation. - Minimal pairs: practice with /æk.səˈleɪts/ (accented mispronunciations) vs /ˈæk.səl.ə.reɪts/; focus on the schwa timing. - Rhythm: time the four syllables to evenly spaced beats; practice tapping or clapping the syllable boundaries: ac-sel-er-ates. - Stress practice: Keep primary stress on the first syllable, but in sentence-level rhythm you can shift slightly for emphasis; maintain the core pattern. - Recording: Use a smartphone to record your pronunciation, then compare with a native sample; adjust speed gradually. - Context sentences: “The engine accelerates as the car climbs the hill,” “Investors accelerates growth by funding research,” “The project accelerates once the team aligns.” - Tempo progression: start slow, move to normal, then fast while maintaining clarity of /t/ and /s/.
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