Excel Vs. Accel: What’s The Correct Spelling Of This Word?

Many English words, like excel and accel, sound the same and have similar spellings. In fact, when comparing excel vs. accel, it is easy to think that one word is correct, and the other is not. The truth is excel and accel are valid in different contexts.

Excel denotes success or triumph in a particular work. It also means “to outperform someone when compared with others.” Excel is also the name of Microsoft software. On the other hand, accel means “to accelerate or raise in pace when concerning cars and to run.” It is the abbreviation of “accelerate.”

While excel and accel sound the same and belong to the same verb category, these words are relatively different. They sound the same because the pronunciation for accel is “ukh-sel,” which is incredibly similar to “ik-sel,” the pronunciation for excel. Read on to discover more about these words, like their definition, usage, and differences.

Definitions of Excel and Accel

The dictionary is the best reference whenever you want to learn the difference between English words. This is because it differentiates words by providing their definitions. We have researched the extensive definitions of excel and accel below.

Definition of Excel

Excel is a transitive verb meaning “to surpass someone or something, be better, or do better than someone or something.” Use the term when referring to yourself or someone better than others or who is outstanding in a certain endeavor. For instance, in a sentence, “You will excel in this task if you put in more hours than your competitors.”

Excel originates from the Latin word “excellere,” later translated to the English word “excellent.” Thus, “excel” is a part of the word “excellent” with a similar meaning.

The secondary definition of excel is the name of the Microsoft software used in organizations and schools for various calculations and keeping records.

Definition of Accel

Accel means “to speed up.” Use this word to indicate an acceleration or slow increase in speed when running or driving a vehicle. For example, “You can accel the car by pressing the gas pedal.”

This term comes from the word “accelerando,” a musical term meaning “a progressive rise in pace.” Therefore, “accel” applies in the music scene or production to indicate the gradual increase in the pace of a tune or song. For instance, “The instructions indicate that you should accel the tempo after the keynote.”

However, the word’s most common use is not in the musical sector but as an abbreviation for “accelerate.” Accel is also the name for a freeware alternative to Microsoft Office, known in full as the Accel Spreadsheet suit.

How to Properly Use Excel and Accel in a Sentence

Before using these words, you must clearly understand their definition. But even after understanding the correct meanings, various sentence usage rules apply in different contexts and depending on what part of speech the word belongs to. The sentence usage guides below should help;

How to Use Excel

The part of speech of the word “excel” is a verb. That means you use it in a sentence to state an action done to the subject or the noun. For instance, “The students will excel in Science if they work harder and display interest.”

You can also use this word to indicate “a state of action done by people or shown by something.” For instance, “My robot will excel in this contest because of its superior programming.”

Like most English words, “excel” comes in three forms. The past tense or past participle for “excel” is “excelled,” meaning someone achieved a triumph in the past. For example, in a sentence, “Marcy excelled in all the Sciences despite being the only female in honors chemistry.”

The third-person singular past tense form of “excel” is “excels.” For instance, in a sentence, “Sharon excels in music because of all the time she puts into practice.” In contrast, the present participle for excel is “excelling.” For example, “The team is excelling in the championships, thanks to the new coach and his progressive strategies.”

How to Use Accel

The instructions for using “accel” in sentences seem more complicated because most English dictionaries do not recognize it as a formal word.

Accel, as a musical term, is an adverb that modifies or provides more information about a verb or an adjective. Therefore, your sentence should have a verb or adjective when using this word. Simply put, “accel” will indicate to what extent or how someone or people do the action (running or driving). For instance, “Pressing the gas pedal will excel the vehicle.”

Also, “accel” is the abbreviation for “accelerate.” In this case, you can also use it as a noun in a sentence. That tells you the word should act as the subject or object of the sentence. For example, “The accel caused the vehicle to overturn.”

The plural for “accel” is “accels.” For example, in a sentence, “The venture achieved great success from the production accel.” Besides the plural, this word does not have other forms because; it is typically an adverb or noun.

Which Spelling Should You Use?

The English dictionary does not recognize “accel” as an official word. Therefore, avoiding its application in official documents would be wise. Since “accel” and “excel” do not have a similar meaning or characters, you can use each word’s correct spelling in various contexts. While they sound the same, you should not intermix these words.

Excel and Accel Differences

One of their primary differences is that “accel” comes from “accelerate/accelerando,” while “excel” comes from “excellent.” Use “excel” to represent various things or someone who outshines or outperforms others in an endeavor. In contrast, use “accel” to describe a gradual increase in pace, as in running or music.

Excel and accel are also common words in Computer and IT. Here, excel is the name of Microsoft software for creating charts and charts and performing calculations. In contrast, Accel is a Microsoft suite for collecting and sorting data found in higher Microsoft Office versions.

Examples of Excel and Accel Use in Sentences

Now that you know how to use these words in different contexts, you can use them in sentences correctly. However, if using these words still challenges you, below are some examples to learn from.

Example sentences of excel

1. To excel in something, you must be exceptional and do better than everyone else.
2. The teachers excel in various subjects, allowing them to teach different courses.
3. The mountaineers excel in various petty trades that set them apart from regular athletes.
4. The cotton factories in China excel in red and printed cotton production.
5. The team from West Coast does not only excel in defense but strength and discipline.

Example sentences of accel

1. Different accel rules apply in musical theater than regular genres.
2. Marcus and his family avoided the accident because the gas pedal did not accel the vehicle as expected.
3. The Accel Spreadsheet is worth it for your next project.
4. The efforts to accel the car did not work because the pedal broke and the tank leaked.
5. The product production accel for the last two months has contributed to the venture growth.

Conclusion

To excel means you outdo or perform better than someone or something else. It also describes “to go beyond in terms of good qualities, sense, or laudable deeds.” In contrast, “accel” means “gradually increasing the pace.” Both words are the names of platforms. Accel Spreadsheet suit is a record analysis platform, and Excel is software for performing various presentations, calculations, and analyses. As similar as they sound, these words have apparent differences.