speed up

Meaning

This phrasal verb means to increase speed, move faster, or make a process happen more quickly. It is used for physical movement (like driving a car) as well as abstract processes (like finishing a task or project). The tone is highly practical and neutral, suitable for both everyday speech and professional contexts.

Examples

• You need to speed up, or we're going to miss our flight.

  You need to speed up, or we're going to miss our flight.

• The driver sped up to pass the slow truck in front of him.

  The driver sped up to pass the slow truck in front of him.

• We need to find a way to speed up the hiring process.

  We need to find a way to speed up the hiring process.

• Can you speed up a bit? The movie starts in ten minutes.

  Can you speed up a bit? The movie starts in ten minutes.

• Adding more RAM will definitely speed up your computer.

  Adding more RAM will definitely speed up your computer.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ Please speed up your car's velocity.

  ✓ Please speed up.

  'Speed up' already implies increasing velocity; adding 'your car's velocity' is redundant and unnatural.

• ✗ We must to speed up the work.

  ✓ We must speed up the work.

  Do not use 'to' after the modal verb 'must'.

Related Expressions

Practice

• If we don't ___, we'll never finish this project on time.

  💡 Work faster.

  Show answer

  speed up

• The car started to ___ as it hit the highway.

  💡 Increase its speed.

  Show answer

  speed up