expedience

noun

ex·​pe·​di·​ence ik-ˈspē-dē-ən(t)s How to pronounce expedience (audio)

Examples of expedience in a Sentence

the proven expedience of the carrot over the stick in getting the most out of people
Recent Examples on the Web The line between governing and eyeing the next election has become indistinguishable — much to the chagrin of those who wish expedience and partisanship had less influence over lawmakers and their decisions. Mark Z. Barabak, The Mercury News, 3 Mar. 2024 The art world is a mercenary place where grudges often give way to expedience. Patrick Radden Keefe, The New Yorker, 24 July 2023 Fitting two systems to the M70 was mostly a matter of expedience: Bosch does not make a twelve-cylinder version of its Motronic system. Csaba Csere, Car and Driver, 8 Apr. 2023 That is one of a few parts of this compact that spurred the legal challenges, as the case takes twists and turns through the court system, which is not known for its expedience. Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 13 Feb. 2023 But many of his goals faced strong social, religious or bureaucratic resistance or were sacrificed for political expedience. Pamela Constable, Washington Post, 5 Feb. 2023 What we humans call good and evil may, in the animal world, has an explanation that rests less on morality and more on expedience. Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine, 30 Mar. 2016 Lazarus frogs achieved celebrity status by the simple expedience of survival, ascending to icons of hope and instilling a sense of local and national pride. Robin Moore, Discover Magazine, 4 Nov. 2014 Many see the flip-flop as a matter of political expedience, with Meloni having refused to condemn Mussolini. Tom Kington and Tracy Wilkinson, Anchorage Daily News, 25 Sep. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'expedience.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1548, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of expedience was in 1548

Dictionary Entries Near expedience

Cite this Entry

“Expedience.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/expedience. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

expedience

noun
ex·​pe·​di·​ence ik-ˈspēd-ē-ən(t)s How to pronounce expedience (audio)
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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