Word
expedient
Phoneticsex·pe·di·ent, stress on the second syllable
US/ɪkˈspidiənt/
UK/ɛkspˈiːdiənt/
Definitions
01practical or useful
C1 · Advanced Formal
adj. useful or helpful for achieving a goal in a particular situation.
adj. suitable or appropriate for a particular purpose or to effect a desired end.
“The government found it expedient to lower taxes just before the election.”
“The committee decided it was politically expedient to postpone the vote until the public outcry had subsided.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
02convenient but immoral
C1 · Advanced Formal
adj. helpful for getting what you want right now, even if it is not morally right.
adj. characterised by self-interest or immediate advantage rather than by what is right or just.
“He made an expedient choice to lie about his past to get the job.”
“The CEO's expedient disregard for safety regulations eventually led to a massive environmental disaster.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
03a quick solution
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Formal
n. a quick way to solve a problem, often used when you do not have a better choice.
n. a means of attaining an end, especially one that is convenient but perhaps improper or immoral.
“The new law was just a temporary expedient to stop the financial crisis.”
“Relying on high-interest loans was a desperate expedient that only delayed the company's eventual bankruptcy.”
Real-World Examples
“As with Joan of Navarre, this only became a crisis because dismantling Eleanor's power, and in turn Humphrey's, had become politically expedient to those bringing the charges.” “As high schoolers begin to mature, overt status-seeking becomes less socially expedient, and "likeability" begins to reassert itself as an important determinant of social standing.” “Thus jeremiads against corporate greed may serve as an expedient shorthand for progressives’ broader economic argument.” Etymology
From Middle English expedient, from Old French expedient, from Latin expediens (stem expedient-), present participle of expedire (“to bring forward, to dispatch, to expedite; impers. to be profitable, serviceable, advantageous, expedient”), from ex (“out”) + pēs (“foot, hoof”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C2 ProficiencyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.8.5–9.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 6.0114–120
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C2 · Proficiency
- Updated
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