expedient 1 of 2

Definition of expedientnext

expedient

2 of 2

noun

1
as in substitute
a temporary replacement if you're a spectator caught without rainwear at a sporting event, then a plastic garbage bag makes an acceptable, if unfashionable, expedient

Synonyms & Similar Words

2
3
as in opportunity
something that one uses to accomplish an end especially when the usual means is not available since there wasn't a single bandage left in our backpacks, we had to use a bandanna, our only expedient

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How is the word expedient distinct from other similar adjectives?

The words advisable and politic are common synonyms of expedient. While all three words mean "dictated by practical or prudent motives," expedient usually implies what is immediately advantageous without regard for ethics or consistent principles.

a politically expedient decision

How is advisable related to other words for expedient?

Advisable applies to what is practical, prudent, or advantageous but lacks the derogatory implication of expedient and politic.

sometimes it's advisable to say nothing

When could politic be used to replace expedient?

While in some cases nearly identical to expedient, politic stresses judiciousness and tactical value but usually implies some lack of candor or sincerity.

a politic show of interest

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 expedient
Adjective
Fighting over market share with Volkswagen and Ford isn’t an expedient way to colonize Mars. Patrick George, The Atlantic, 5 Sep. 2025 Naturally, the theft of the ghost shirt by the stooges in the employ of Roy Lee is accompanied by many deceased bodies — the first of the many bloodbaths in Americana, which has a distressingly expedient approach to on-screen carnage. Peter Tonguette, The Washington Examiner, 22 Aug. 2025
Noun
In one approach, disagreements about statistics should be part of public, reasoned arguments in which the assumptions, limits and aims of competing choices are interrogated, weighed and debated by those who have a commitment to the truth and not simply to what is expedient. Thomas Stapleford, Chicago Tribune, 11 Aug. 2025 Instead, adopting features and placing oversight and authority with agencies from already existing Lanes/programs that have the same measure of success (see below) has been far more successful and expedient. Robert Hoban, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for expedient
Recent Examples of Synonyms for expedient
Adjective
  • Picking up the fifth-year options for quarterbacks is generally accepted to be fiscally prudent.
    Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 13 Jan. 2026
  • This is a man who, throughout his long public and political life, has seldom been associated with such descriptors as modest, prudent or vulnerable.
    Clarence Page, Chicago Tribune, 11 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Use substitutes like wash cloths and knitted pieces over the mop head.
    Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 11 Jan. 2026
  • Bakwa had an impressive cameo as a substitute against Everton recently, but lacked the same drive against the Championship club last night.
    Paul Taylor, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Running out of battery mid-flight means missing entertainment and the chance to use apps that help manage nervousness or track turbulence.
    Alesandra Dubin, Travel + Leisure, 9 Jan. 2026
  • Manufacturers would also have to provide a means for first responders to access the car from outside when electric power is lost.
    Andrea Guzmán, Austin American Statesman, 8 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • All across Minnesota, people are learning about opportunities not just to resist, but to help people who are in danger.
    Pioneer Press, Twin Cities, 15 Jan. 2026
  • These programs are not easily replaced, and their absence diminishes the quality of public discourse and learning opportunities for families, educators, and students.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 15 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • Prime rib is a desirable cut of beef, known for its rich flavor and marbling from fat.
    Sarah Bence, Verywell Health, 15 Jan. 2026
  • So, here are insights into the Giants’ top coaching target from someone who had an up-close look at what makes Harbaugh such a desirable candidate.
    Dan Duggan, New York Times, 14 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • In 2020, Idaho was the first state in the country to approve the measure categorically barring transgender women and girls from women’s and girls sports.
    Becca Savransky, Idaho Statesman, 14 Jan. 2026
  • As an example, the new effective date for the measure is now May 1, 2025.
    Lori Weisberg, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • The best recourse for humans of IT might just be to upskill and team up with AI.
    Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 15 Jan. 2026
  • With this enfeebled mind my only recourse is poetry.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 14 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • Or similarly, users pointing out that the Ratliff children, when seated three abreast, resemble the three wise monkeys of see no evil, speak no evil, hear no evil.
    Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 7 Jan. 2026
  • Up in the balcony, even Statler and Waldorf have stopped cracking wise.
    Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 6 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Expedient.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/expedient. Accessed 19 Jan. 2026.

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