facilitate

Verb

facilitate (third-person singular simple present facilitates, present participle facilitating, simple past and past participle facilitated)

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...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

   Synonyms:

   ease, open the door, grease

   Antonyms:

   hinder, impede

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

   Antonyms:

   hinder, impede

3. To preside over (a meeting, a seminar).