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

Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of expedient

Adjective

Raisman, like Chiles, was also the last to go in her Olympic final, making the time-crunch to file an expedient appeal particularly intense and the result more dramatic. —Kaetlyn Liddy, NBC News, 5 Aug. 2024

Sidestepping divisive questions might be politically expedient, limiting attention on the party’s increasingly out-of-step agenda. —Editorial Board, Washington Post, 7 July 2024

Noun

Make sure all the start and end dates match (Al Dunlap, for example, continued his disastrous career through the simple expedient of not listing the two companies that had fired him on his resume). —Gautam Mukunda, Forbes, 29 Oct. 2024

Some people saved their ration, making a small cake once every couple of weeks; others tried various expedients, from substituting carrots and parsnips to just going cold turkey. —Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 1 Nov. 2024