expedient

American  

[ik-spee-dee-uhnt] / ɪkˈspi di ənt /

adjective

1. tending to promote some proposed or desired object; fit or suitable for the purpose; proper under the circumstances.

   It is expedient that you go.

   Synonyms:

   profitable, advantageous, desirable, appropriate, advisable

   Antonyms:

   disadvantageous

2. conducive to advantage or interest, as opposed to right.

3. acting in accordance with expediency, or what is advantageous.

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noun

• expedients
  plural

1. a means to an end.

   The ladder was a useful expedient for getting to the second floor.

2. a means devised or employed in an exigency; resource; shift.

   Use any expedients you think necessary to get over the obstacles in your way.

   Synonyms:

   resort, contrivance, device

expedient British  

/ ɪkˈspiːdɪənt /

adjective

1. suitable to the circumstances; appropriate

2. inclined towards methods or means that are advantageous rather than fair or just

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noun

1. something suitable or appropriate, esp something used during an urgent situation

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonexpedient
  adjective
• quasi-expedient
  adjective
• unexpedient
  adjective
• expediently
  adverb
• nonexpediently
  adverb
• quasi-expediently
  adverb
• unexpediently
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• expedients
  plural

Etymology

Origin of expedient

1350–1400; Middle English < Latin expedient- (stem of expediēns ), present participle of expedīre. See expedite, -ent

Explanation

The adjective expedient describes something that provides an easy way to achieve a goal or result, but it's not necessarily a moral solution. Politically expedient means something you do to advance yourself politically. Use expedient when you want to hint that a particular solution or strategy has certain benefits and advantages but is not completely fair. However, expedient can also be used as a noun to describe something practical for a particular purpose.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

expedient expedients

That arrangement was initially understood by most people involved, including the British government, as a temporary expedient to avoid ethnic and religious conflict.

From Salon ● Sep. 15, 2026

The U.S. quickly sank Iran’s naval assets, so the remaining threats were such things as expedient mining off the back of small boats and attempts to use anti-tank missiles against passing tankers.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 24, 2026

"If we set aside the rules when we deem expedient, why can't our adversaries?"

From Barron's ● Apr. 2, 2026

People will readily share their data — even when it comes to their health — for things they value, like better service, cheaper prices, and expedient convenience.

From MarketWatch ● Jan. 21, 2026

Once again, two paths had opened before me, and I could take the expedient one, or the one that required courage.

From "The Shakespeare Stealer" by Gary L. Blackwood

For a time it appeared that Washington was prepared to buy into this set of expedients.

From Salon ● Oct. 6, 2015

All the things we did were great expedients, given the terrible problems we had, and it’s working after a fashion.

From Forbes ● Apr. 13, 2015

While many such initiatives may have set out with good intentions to be the former, it seems that commercial expedients are increasingly forcing them to become the latter.

From The Guardian ● Jun. 21, 2013

Much has been written about Italian individualism, its expedients, its limitations, and its consequences.

From Slate ● Oct. 11, 2011

He resented having “to resort to temporary expedients merely to make a poor show for the opening.”

From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson

Related Words

• ad hoc
• advantageous
• desirable
• feasible
• judicious
• opportune
• practicable
• practical
• pragmatic
• prudent