expedience

noun

ex·​pe·​di·​ence ik-ˈspē-dē-ən(t)s How to pronounce expedience (audio)

Examples of expedience in a Sentence

the proven expedience of the carrot over the stick in getting the most out of people
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
From a criminal justice point of view, the DOJ should not have used political expedience to drive a prosecutorial decision. New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 21 Feb. 2025 The actions on Monday stunned current and former prosecutors and investigators who said the department was abandoning a tradition of holding public officials, corporate executives and others accountable for corruption in favor of an approach built on political or economic expedience. Devlin Barrett, New York Times, 15 Feb. 2025 But to Trump and some of his advisers, the memo had a certain expedience. Shane Harris, The Atlantic, 3 Jan. 2025 This heady brew of commercial and geopolitical pressures is forcing TSMC executives to sign big contracts for wind and solar power, at times eschewing affordability for expedience. IEEE Spectrum, 3 Sep. 2024 See All Example Sentences for expedience

Word History

First Known Use

1548, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of expedience was in 1548

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Expedience.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/expedience. Accessed 5 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

expedience

noun
ex·​pe·​di·​ence ik-ˈspēd-ē-ən(t)s How to pronounce expedience (audio)
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!