To increase in speed or happen more quickly.
“Population growth in the suburbs has accelerated due to lower housing costs.”
“The company plans to accelerate its shift to renewable energy sources.”
In Part 3 passages about growth, change, or trends, 'accelerate' tells you that something is happening faster than before. Look for this word when a question asks specifically about the pace or speed of a change described in a paragraph, rather than just its direction.
Synonyms: speed up, hasten, quicken