Dictionary

facilitate en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /fəˈsɪlɪteɪt/
• /fəˈsɪləteɪt/
• (US) audio

Etymology

Anglicisation of French faciliter (“facilitate”) through -ate (verb-forming suffix), ultimately from Latin facilis.

Meanings

1. To make easy or easier.
   • Features such as trackless doors, mercury-type door interlocks, roof-mounted door fault indicator lights, rubber window glazing, improved retractable shoegear and a modified electro-pneumatic brake system designed to facilitate maintenance and improve reliability, which have proved their worth on the prototype trains, are continued in the new stock. 1960 February, “The first of London's new Piccadilly Line trains is delivered”, in Trains Illustrated, page 94:
   • The flatness of the landscape facilitates views right across the Firth of Forth to Fife, before the railway begins to pierce the Edinburgh suburbs. 2022 November 30, Paul Bigland, “Destination Oban: a Sunday in Scotland”, in RAIL, number 971, page 75:
2. To help bring about.
   • But while she was pursuing this thought the good genius of Sophia, or that which presided over the integrity of Mrs Honour, or perhaps mere chance, sent an accident in her way, which at once preserved her fidelity, and even facilitated the intended business. 1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC:
   • Last week, the Justice Department said it would comply with a federal judge’s order to “facilitate” the return of O.C.G., a gay man who was sent to Mexico this year despite having told American authorities that he had experienced violence there and was afraid to go back. 2025 June 4, Alan Feuer, Mattathias Schwartz, “U.S. Brings Back Guatemalan Wrongly Deported to Mexico”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:
3. To preside over (a meeting, a seminar).

Forms

Antonyms

hinder · hinder · impede · impede

Deriveds

cofacilitate · nonfacilitating · refacilitate · disfacilitate

Relateds

facile · facilitator · facilitatory · facilitation · facility · facilitative

Synonyms

ease · grease · open the door

Translations (73)

ru соде́йствовать (to make easy or easier) · ky оңойлотуу (to make easy or easier) · es facilitar (to make easy or easier) · ota قولایلامق (to make easy or easier) · ru посоде́йствовать (to make easy or easier) · cs ulehčit (to make easy or easier) · bg спомогна (to make easy or easier) · sv förenkla (to make easy or easier) · mi tūāpā (to help bring about) · bg благоприятствам (to make easy or easier) · fr faciliter (to make easy or easier) · ru облегчи́ть (to make easy or easier) · it agevolare (to make easy or easier) · fi johtaa puhetta (to preside over (a meeting, a seminar)) · bg облекчавам (to make easy or easier) · fi johtaa (to preside over (a meeting, a seminar)) · el διευκολύνω (to make easy or easier) · fi helpottaa (to make easy or easier) · ky азайтуу (to make easy or easier) · nl vergemakkelijken (to make easy or easier) · ar سَهَّلَ (to make easy or easier) · ru поспосо́бствовать (to make easy or easier) · ru облегча́ть (to make easy or easier) · sk uľahčiť (to make easy or easier) · hy դյուրացնել (to make easy or easier) · ky басаңдатуу (to make easy or easier) · uk сприя́ти (to help bring about) · sv underlätta (to make easy or easier) · fi fasilitoida (to preside over (a meeting, a seminar)) · tr kolaylaştırmak (to make easy or easier) · nrf faciliter (to make easy or easier) · ru спосо́бствовать (to make easy or easier) · pl ułatwiać (to make easy or easier) · bg улесня (to make easy or easier) · mi huawaere (to make easy or easier) · cmn 促进 (to make easy or easier) · fa تسهیل کردن (to make easy or easier) · mi tūāpā (to make easy or easier) · bg способствам (to help bring about) · cmn 使……容易 (to make easy or easier) · nn gjere lettare (to make easy or easier) · nn forenkla (to make easy or easier) · bg облекча (to make easy or easier) · it facilitare (to make easy or easier) · ro facilita (to make easy or easier) · bg улеснявам (to make easy or easier) · nb forenkle (to make easy or easier) · ru помога́ть (to make easy or easier) · cs usnadnit (to make easy or easier) · uk сприя́ти (to make easy or easier) · cmn 幫助 /帮助 (to make easy or easier) · eo faciligi (to make easy or easier) · lij façilitâ (to make easy or easier) · pl torować (to make easy or easier) · uk поле́гши́ти (to make easy or easier) · ro înlesni (to make easy or easier) · nl faciliteren (to make easy or easier) · nn forenkle (to make easy or easier) · uk поле́гшувати (to make easy or easier) · pl upraszczać (to make easy or easier) · pt facilitar (to make easy or easier) · fi helpottaa (to help bring about) · ko 일을 용이하게 하다 (to make easy or easier) · de fördern (to make easy or easier) · ro ușura (to make easy or easier) · de erleichtern (to make easy or easier) · nb gjøre lettere (to make easy or easier) · bg спомагам (to make easy or easier) · ru помо́чь (to make easy or easier) · hy հեշտացնել (to make easy or easier) · da facilitere (to make easy or easier) · cmn 輔助 /辅助 (to make easy or easier) · ky жеңилдетүү (to make easy or easier)