Synonyms of expedient

expedient 1 of 2

adjective

ik-ˈspē-dē-ənt 

as in prudent

suitable for bringing about a desired result under the circumstances

made the expedient decision to sell the land to whomever offered the most money

Synonyms & Similar Words

• prudent
• desirable
• wise
• tactical
• possible
• advisable
• judicious
• politic
• practical
• beneficial
• advantageous
• profitable
• useful
• practicable
• feasible
• utilitarian
• opportune
• timely
• seasonable
• opportunistic
• self-seeking

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• unwise
• inexpedient
• inadvisable
• imprudent
• impractical
• injudicious
• unprofitable
• unfeasible
• impolitic
• untimely
• profitless
• inopportune
• unseasonable

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

• substitute
• makeshift
• stopgap
• backup
• recourse
• refuge
• alternate
• resort
• quick fix
• stand-in
• standby
• understudy

2

as in means

an action planned or taken to achieve a desired result

he vowed to use any expedient available to get the project done on time

Synonyms & Similar Words

• means
• measure
• step
• move
• action
• attempt
• effort
• shift
• procedure
• resource
• act
• operation
• doing
• process
• initiative
• proceeding
• course
• deed
• endeavor
• try
• coup
• dealing
• activity
• proposal
• feat
• enterprise
• success
• attainment
• accomplishment
• triumph
• undertaking
• exploit
• project
• proposition
• thing
• while
• business
• achievement
• event
• work
• pass
• resort
• affair
• labor
• exertion
• pains
• trial
• trouble
• go
• essay
• stopgap
• crack
• stab
• makeshift
• shot
• countermeasure
• countermove
• whack
• counterstep
• fling

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

• opportunity
• recourse
• resource
• resort
• possibility
• substitute
• replacement
• relief
• stopgap
• hope
• makeshift

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

Recent Examples of expedient

Adjective

To avoid causing voters financial pain, lawmakers may try to take the more politically expedient path by allowing Social Security and Medicare to tap general revenue that funds other parts of the federal government. — Jason Ma, Fortune, 6 June 2026

The payoff for that patience has been a partnership built on aligned values rather than expedient money—which, in a sport where funding directly determines your competitiveness, matters more than almost anything else. — Jasmine Browley, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026

Noun

Further, these programs give big companies an expedient, cost-effective way to learn about emerging technologies and benefit from diverse sources of innovation, without the investment required to build each one internally. — Serguei Netessine, Fortune, 28 May 2026

And the simple expedient of wearing long sleeves and pants limits the parts of the body that are exposed to any biting insect. — Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 28 May 2026