expediency

noun

ex·​pe·​di·​en·​cy ik-ˈspē-dē-ən(t)-sē 

plural expediencies

1

: the quality or state of being suited to the end in view : suitability, fitness

2

obsolete

a

: haste, dispatch

b

: an enterprise requiring haste or caution

3

: adherence to expedient means and methods

… put more emphasis on expediency than on principle.

—W. H. Jones

4

: a means of achieving a particular end : expedient

expediential

ik-ˌspē-dē-ˈen-chəl 

adjective

Synonyms of expediency

• expedience
• desirability
• feasibility
• advisability
• prudence
• judiciousness
• desirableness

Examples of expediency in a Sentence

the expediency of such a plan is questionable

Recent Examples on the Web

But Hnath, working from Curtis Hidden Page’s translation, from 1908, gets tangled up in the requirements of rhyme and is forced into some unfortunate expediencies, as well as the occasional repetition. —Helen Shaw, New Yorker, 18 Dec. 2025

That mixture of the crucial and the fussy squeezes out flexibility, yielding density without vitality, expediency without speed. —Justin Davidson, Curbed, 16 Dec. 2025

That’s good news for customers, who are no longer satisfied with quick-and-dirty fixes that prioritize expediency over safety. —Malana Vantyler, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025

Perhaps, the time has come to go beyond archaic political loyalties and engage issues on the basis of evidence, merit, and truth, not short-term political expediency. —Khaleda Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1597, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

expediency

noun

ex·​pe·​di·​en·​cy ik-ˈspēd-ē-ən-sē 

plural expediencies

: the use of expedient means and methods