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Synonyms

marriage of convenience

American  

noun

  1. marriage entered into for a personal or family advantage, as for social, political, or economic reasons, usually without love and sometimes without the expectation of sexual relations.


marriage of convenience British  

noun

  1. a marriage based on expediency rather than on love

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of marriage of convenience

First recorded in 1705–15

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.

See Examples For:

What used to be an alliance of kindred souls is viewed by both sides today as a marriage of convenience, loveless and lacking basic trust.

From The Wall Street Journal Feb. 15, 2026

It was to be a marriage of convenience — convenient business-wise for both Roscoe and Charlie.

From Los Angeles Times Sep. 9, 2025

The film, about a bisexual Taiwanese landlord who enters a marriage of convenience with his woman tenant to quell his persistent parents, was a major success among critics and audiences.

From Salon Apr. 18, 2025

"It’s a perfect marriage of convenience," Angolan analyst Edmilson Angelo told the BBC.

From BBC Dec. 2, 2024

It is clear even to me that it is a marriage of convenience and not of love.

From "First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers" by Loung Ung

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