Collocations with Accelerate

verb (1) go faster

ADVERB 

hard, quickly –
smoothly –

.The runners accelerated smoothly around the bend

suddenly –
(away (especially BrE –

.The car purred into life and accelerated away

Verb (2) develop quickly

ADVERB

dramatically, greatly, rapidly, sharply –

.The epidemic is accelerating dramatically

significantly –

(Acceleration (noun

(1) increase in speed

ADJECTIVE

rapid, sudden –

gradual –

.He specialized in naval history at the Naval Academy

(Acceleration (noun

(2) ability of a car to accelerate

ADJECTIVE

fast, good –

.This model has the best acceleration of any available sports car

poor, slow –

(Acceleration (noun

VERB + ACCELERATOR

depress, floor, hit, press, put your foot (down) on, step on –

.She put her foot on the accelerator and we sped through the traffic lights

take your foot off –

PREPOSITION

acceleration in –

.There has been a rapid acceleration in the growth of industry