expeditious

adjective

ex·​pe·​di·​tious ˌek-spə-ˈdi-shəs 

: marked by or acting with prompt efficiency

expeditiously adverb

expeditiousness noun

Did you know?

The Real Root of Expeditious

Expeditious has had quite the journey through the English language. It comes to us from the related noun expedition, which in turn comes from the Latin verb expedire (“to set free” or “to make ready”). When expedition first set forth in English in the 1400s, it did so with two meanings that are still in use today, “a journey especially by a group of people for a specific purpose” and “efficient promptness.” Expeditious later followed as an adjectival form of the latter. Something (such as, say, preparation for a long voyage) done expeditiously is done quickly and efficiently; in other words, it is expedited. Like expeditious and expedition, expedite too comes from expedire.

Synonyms

• quick
• swift
• immediate

Choose the Right Synonym for expeditious

fast, rapid, swift, fleet, quick, speedy, hasty, expeditious mean moving, proceeding, or acting with celerity.

fast and rapid are very close in meaning, but fast applies particularly to the thing that moves

fast horses

and rapid to the movement itself.

rapid current

swift suggests great rapidity coupled with ease of movement.

returned the ball with one swift stroke

fleet adds the implication of lightness and nimbleness.

fleet runners

quick suggests promptness and the taking of little time.

a quick wit

speedy implies quickness of successful accomplishment

speedy delivery of mail

and may also suggest unusual velocity.

hasty suggests hurry and precipitousness and often connotes carelessness.

a hasty inspection

expeditious suggests efficiency together with rapidity of accomplishment.

the expeditious handling of an order

Examples of expeditious in a Sentence

a company that is well-regarded for its expeditious handling of any request or complaint

Recent Examples on the Web

This week, a number of the continent’s trade emissaries and heads of state have pushed for an expeditious extension of the program’s benefits—namely, duty-free access to the United States market for more than 1,800 products from 32 countries. —Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 26 Sep. 2025

For Wallace, the results were expeditious. —Allie Garfinkle, Fortune, 21 Aug. 2025

Innocent passage refers to the right to transit through the territorial sea of another state in a continuous and expeditious manner that must not be prejudicial to the peace, good order, or security of that state, according to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. —Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Aug. 2025

The nominee will face an intense confirmation process, which lawmakers told CNN will not be expeditious in the wake of Trump’s actions and rhetoric. —Phil Mattingly, CNN Money, 8 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1599, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for expeditious

• supposititious
• adventitious
• cementitious
• inauspicious
• injudicious
• meretricious
• repetitious
• superstitious
• surreptitious
• unambitious
• unpropitious
• unsuspicious

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Kids Definition

expeditious

adjective

ex·​pe·​di·​tious ˌek-spə-ˈdish-əs 

: marked by or acting with promptness

expeditious service

expeditiously adverb

expeditiousness noun