accelerant

noun

ac·​cel·​er·​ant ik-ˈse-lə-rənt How to pronounce accelerant (audio)
ak-
: a substance used to accelerate a process (such as the spreading of a fire)

Examples of accelerant in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Hwang Sun-jae, a sociologist who studies fertility norms, traces the swift dissemination of low fertility in part to social media’s role as an accelerant of global monoculture. Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 24 Feb. 2025 The state has made some inroads in addressing greenhouse-gas emissions, which drive extreme temperatures and drought, but one of the greatest accelerants is practically synonymous with California itself. Hannah Giorgis, The Atlantic, 24 Jan. 2025 More than 80% of CEOs and investors predict a major return of mergers and acquisitions next year, the survey found, citing greater access to capital and the incoming Trump administration as the primary accelerants. Avery Lotz, Axios, 18 Dec. 2024 Perhaps a tad too neatly, the Dahl siblings are accompanied by outliers to serve as witnesses, resisters and accelerants. Jesse Green, New York Times, 13 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for accelerant

Word History

First Known Use

1824, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of accelerant was in 1824

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Cite this Entry

“Accelerant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/accelerant. Accessed 1 Mar. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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