YOUR VOCABULARY, ONE WORD AT A TIME

expedient

Adjective

IPA /ɪkˈspiːdiənt/

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Meaning in plain English

Useful for achieving an immediate purpose, even if the action may not be the fairest or best long-term choice.

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Pronunciation

expedient/ɪkˈspiːdiənt/

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A quick decision is needed
Choose the convenient option
Fairness may receive less attention

An expedient choice serves an immediate purpose, sometimes at the expense of principle.

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He found it expedient to apologise rather than prolong the family argument.
The manager considered it expedient to delay announcing the unpopular change.

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He found it ________ to apologise rather than prolong the family argument.

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expedient — Useful for achieving an immediate purpose, even if the action may not be the fairest or best long-term choice.

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Useful for achieving an immediate purpose, even if the action may not be the fairest or best long-term choice.

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Word origin

From Latin expedire, originally connected with freeing the feet and later with putting things in order.

Did you know?

Find it expedient to do something is a useful pattern for describing a convenient course of action.

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