to speed up

USAGE SUMMARY

'to speed up' is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It typically means to make something go faster, such as a process, movement, or action. For example, "We need to speed up the production process so we can meet our order deadlines."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

He needs to speed up, too.

Independent

inorder to speed up the sport.

The New Yorker

"We're trying to speed up".

The New York Times

It's supposed to speed up the process".

The New York Times - Sports

I need to speed up my thinking.

The Guardian

Nice to speed up drug appraisals.

The Guardian

"The question is not whether to speed up or not to speed up," Mr. Gabrielli said.

The New York Times

Do you tell your team to speed up their work?

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Note: Providing complete information helps to speed up process.

Stanford University

They aim to speed up treatment while avoiding antibiotic resistance.

Stanford University

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

1 human-written examples

To speed-up data retrieval, materialized views are used.

Database : the journal of biological databases and curation

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "to speed up" when you want to emphasize making a process or action occur more quickly. Be mindful of the context; it's suitable for both formal and informal situations.

Common error

While versatile, avoid relying too heavily on "to speed up" in formal documents. Alternatives like "to expedite" or "to accelerate" might lend a more professional tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "to speed up" primarily functions as an infinitive verb phrase. It often acts as an adverbial modifier of purpose, explaining the reason for an action. Ludwig examples show it commonly introduces clauses expressing intent.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

38%

Science

33%

Academia

22%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Wiki

2%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "to speed up" is a versatile and frequently used expression meaning to accelerate or make something faster. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatically sound and appropriate in many contexts. Its function is primarily to indicate purpose, its register is generally neutral, and it appears most often in news, scientific, and academic sources. While highly adaptable, remember to consider more formal alternatives like "to expedite" in professional settings. By understanding its nuances and usage patterns, you can effectively incorporate "to speed up" into your writing, ensuring clarity and impact.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

To accelerate

Focuses on increasing the rate of something, emphasizing a more rapid change in speed.

To expedite

Implies making a process faster and more efficient, often in a formal or official context.

To hasten

Suggests an active effort to make something happen sooner, adding a sense of urgency.

To quicken

Emphasizes a rapid increase in pace or tempo, suitable for dynamic processes.

To advance

Highlights the forward movement and progress being made more rapidly.

To step up

Suggests increasing the intensity or level of activity to achieve a faster pace.

To boost

Indicates a temporary or sudden increase in speed or performance.

To push forward

Implies actively propelling something to move at a faster rate.

To ramp up

Suggests a gradual increase in activity or production, leading to faster results.

To catalyze

Implies accelerating a process or reaction through indirect means, like an external agent.

FAQs

How can I use "to speed up" in a sentence?

You can use "to speed up" to describe making a process or action faster, such as, "The company is implementing new strategies "to speed up" production."

What are some alternatives to "to speed up"?

Depending on the context, you could use alternatives like "to accelerate", "to expedite", or "to hasten".

Is it ever incorrect to use the phrase "to speed up"?

While grammatically correct, overuse in formal writing may sound less sophisticated. Consider alternatives like "to facilitate" or "to advance" in such contexts.

What's the difference between "to speed up" and "to accelerate"?

Both phrases suggest making something faster, but "to accelerate" often implies a more significant and measurable increase in speed compared to "to speed up".