facilitation

noun

fa·​cil·​i·​ta·​tion fə-ˌsi-lə-ˈtā-shən 

1

: the act of facilitating : the state of being facilitated

2

a

: the lowering of the threshold for reflex conduction along a particular neural pathway especially from repeated use of that pathway

b

: the increasing of the ease or intensity of a response by repeated stimulation

Examples of facilitation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

But after adding three inexpensive yet highly skilled perimeter players — Vandersloot for facilitation, Allen and Nurse for high-volume 3-point shooting — the Sky are now more likely to retain the No. 3 and No. 10 picks to dig into the second phase of building through the draft. —Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 2 Feb. 2025

India is actively blocking a climate deal From the West’s perspective, India can be a problematic partner in international negotiations (witness New Delhi’s blocking of a WTO trade facilitation deal last year). —Michael Kugelman, Foreign Affairs, 1 Dec. 2015

Trainers—many with backgrounds in performance, comedy, or advanced facilitation—excel at creating dynamic, collaborative learning environments. —William Mullane, USA TODAY, 7 Jan. 2025

Jill was voted as homeowners' association (HOA) president and is on a team that is responsible for facilitation. —David Faris, Newsweek, 29 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

facilit(ate) + -ation; in sense 2 probably as translation of German Bahnung

First Known Use

1620, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Medical Definition

facilitation

noun

fa·​cil·​i·​ta·​tion fə-ˌsil-ə-ˈtā-shən 

1

: the lowering of the threshold for reflex conduction along a particular neural pathway especially from repeated use of that pathway

2

: the increasing of the ease or intensity of a response by repeated stimulation