expedition
Americannoun
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an excursion, journey, or voyage made for some specific purpose, as of war or exploration.
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the group of persons, ships, etc., engaged in such an activity.
a large expedition of scientists and military personnel.
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promptness or speed in accomplishing something.
He worked with great expedition.
noun
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an organized journey or voyage for a specific purpose, esp for exploration or for a scientific or military purpose
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the people and equipment comprising an expedition
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a pleasure trip; excursion
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promptness in acting; dispatch
Usage
What is an expedition? An expedition is an organized journey or voyage made with a specific purpose, as in Johann packed only a large backpack for the expedition across the Alps. An expedition can describe any trip made with a specific purpose or for the purpose of simple exploration. The term is used formally by militaries, cartographers, groups that aim to protect wildlife, and many others. For example, a military expedition is a specific type of military operation in which a group of soldiers move into a foreign country to accomplish a task. Expedition can also be used to refer to a pleasure trip, especially for a trip to a location that is farther than a person would normally go. Expedition can also refer to the group of people who go on the trip. For example, a scientific expedition to the rainforest can mean the trip to the rainforest or those who go on the trip. Example: We took an expedition around the world to see all the sights.
Synonym Usage
See trip 1.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of expedition
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin expedītiōn- (stem of expedītiō ) “a (military) traveling.” See expedite, -ion
Explanation
An expedition is an organized journey that is undertaken for a particular purpose, like a group of scientists launching an expedition to South America to seek out a new medicinal herb. An expedition is no walk in the park. It's a serious journey, often with a very specific purpose undertaken by several people and lots of equipment. Sometimes, it can even be dangerous, like when the arctic adventurer was attacked by polar bears during an expedition to the Arctic. Needless to say, he hung up his explorer's hat after that expedition.
Vocabulary lists containing expedition
The Diary of Anne Frank
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Excerpt from "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer"
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Julius Caesar
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
For now, the company is touting the success of some of its priciest models, like the Expedition and Bronco SUVs.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 28, 2026
Indie game “Clair Obscur: Expedition 33” was disqualified from an award show after people discovered that the game had utilized AI-generated graphical textures.
From MarketWatch • May 23, 2026
Expedition cruises don’t run cheap, potentially costing tens of thousands of dollars per voyage.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 17, 2026
Expedition 33 is set in a world where a supernatural being known as The Paintress prevents the population from growing past a certain age.
From BBC • Apr. 17, 2026
Citing his years of experience at sea, he presented himself at the offices of the National Antarctic Expedition in London.
From "Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World" by Jennifer Armstrong
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
