Synonym Chooser

How does the noun expedition contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of expedition are dispatch, haste, hurry, and speed. While all these words mean "quickness in movement or action," expedition and dispatch both imply speed and efficiency in handling affairs but expedition stresses ease or efficiency of performance and dispatch stresses promptness in concluding matters.

the case came to trial with expedition
paid bills with dispatch

When might haste be a better fit than expedition?

While the synonyms haste and expedition are close in meaning, haste applies to personal action and implies urgency and precipitancy and often rashness.

marry in haste

When can hurry be used instead of expedition?

Although the words hurry and expedition have much in common, hurry often has a strong suggestion of agitated bustle or confusion.

in the hurry of departure she forgot her toothbrush

When could speed be used to replace expedition?

In some situations, the words speed and expedition are roughly equivalent. However, speed suggests swift efficiency in movement or action.

exercises to increase your reading speed

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of expedition For deep-space science, the ability to launch heavier, more complex instruments means more ambitious missions, from sample-return expeditions to Jupiter’s moons to large-scale observatories parked in distant orbits. Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 15 Oct. 2025 Deep in the Amazon rainforest near Macas, this mystical cave requires a 74-meter rappel descent and offers three-day expeditions that combine wild caving with Indigenous Shuar culture. Heide Brandes, AFAR Media, 15 Oct. 2025 The storied production included building a scale model of the ship, boundary-pushing special effects and expeditions to the actual Titanic wreck. Jon Landau, HollywoodReporter, 14 Oct. 2025 Jasanoff retraced some of Conrad’s epic journeys, which inspired me to redo the expedition Matthiessen describes in The Snow Leopard. Literary Hub, 14 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for expedition
Recent Examples of Synonyms for expedition
Noun
  • On trips within Europe—a weekend getaway to Berlin or Stockholm—I’ll pair the look with a lightweight shoulder bag, like the playful Naariian Puffer Crossbody.
    Lane Nieset, Travel + Leisure, 18 Oct. 2025
  • About the Queen Elizabeth The Queen Elizabeth accommodates 2,081 guests and the initial trip was sold out, Menard said.
    Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 18 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The book’s journey through the brain ends at the frontal pole, a region involved in self-reflection — thinking about thinking.
    Big Think, Big Think, 18 Oct. 2025
  • Motorists and recreational visitors in mountain regions are strongly advised to monitor NWS updates and the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) real-time travel alerts before and during their journeys.
    Jordan King, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • This half-mile outdoor Halloween trek has gory content, strobe lights and spooky sounds.
    Abby Hamblin, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Oct. 2025
  • Almost all spacecraft sent to deep space — including the Voyager probes, Juno, Cassini-Huygens, and Galileo — must execute gravity assist maneuvers, slingshotting around planets to gain velocity for their vast treks.
    Big Think, Big Think, 15 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The new Paris-to-Amalfi Coast route is now open for reservations and costs £8,600 (approximately $11,479) per person, which includes all meals, transfers, and excursions.
    Michael Cappetta, Travel + Leisure, 14 Oct. 2025
  • When a weekend excursion with a billionaire’s son turns violent, they are targeted by a group of kidnappers.
    Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 14 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Expedition.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/expedition. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on expedition

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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