Accelerate vs Hurry up we're losing her

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Accelerate

Top 2,000 (common)C1verb

Hurry up we're losing her

Beyond 10,000 (less common)
Most common: Accelerate
 AccelerateHurry up we're losing her
Pronunciation🇬🇧 /["/əkˈseləreɪt/","/əkˈseləreɪts/","/əkˈseləreɪtɪd/","/əkˈseləreɪtɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/əkˈseləreɪt/","/əkˈseləreɪts/","/əkˈseləreɪtɪd/","/əkˈseləreɪtɪŋ/"]/🇬🇧 //ˈhʌri ʌp wɪə ˈluːzɪŋ hɜː//🇺🇸 //ˈhɜri ʌp wɪr ˈluːzɪŋ hɜr//
MeaningTo go faster or make something go faster.Move faster; we are at risk of losing her.
ExampleThe company aims to accelerate the development of new technologies.Hurry up, we're losing her!
RegisterNeutralNeutral
How commonTop 2,000 (common)Beyond 10,000 (less common)
CEFR levelC1-
Part of speechverb
Collocationsdramatically, greatly, rapidly, hard, quickly, smoothlyhurry up, hurry up and go, hurry up please, hurry up already, hurry up everyone
Antonymsdecelerate, slow down-
Common mistakesConfused with 'decelerate' (which means to slow down)., Using 'accelerate' without an object when it should have one., Incorrectly assuming it can only apply to vehicles.Using 'hurry' as a noun (should be a verb), Incorrectly stressing 'up' instead of 'hurry', Confusing with 'hurry on' which implies continued action
Usage notesUsed in both formal and casual contexts, often related to speed, processes, or improvements. Not typically used in very informal conversation.Used in urgent situations to prompt quick action. More suitable in informal contexts, but can also be used in emergencies.

See it in real clips

Hurry up we're losing her

Frequently asked questions: Accelerate vs Hurry up we're losing her

What's the difference between Accelerate and Hurry up we're losing her?

Accelerate: To go faster or make something go faster. Hurry up we're losing her: Move faster; we are at risk of losing her.

Which is more common: Accelerate and Hurry up we're losing her?

Accelerate is the most common in everyday English.

Can you show an example of each?

Accelerate: The company aims to accelerate the development of new technologies. Hurry up we're losing her: Hurry up, we're losing her!

Can I use Accelerate and Hurry up we're losing her interchangeably?

Not always. Accelerate and Hurry up we're losing her are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.

Related comparisons