SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS

expediency

noun

The usefulness or convenience of an action for achieving an immediate aim.

Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.

Practical convenience

Closest synonyms

Related words and expressions

These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.

Usage distinction

Expediency often implies putting an immediate advantage ahead of principle or long-term consequences.

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Test this word in the Comprehensive Synonym Exam

CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT

See expediency in use

The decision favored expediency over careful long-term planning.
Dictionary practice example.
To inspect the possible location, the committee took a circuitous route around several closed paths in the park. One member suggested choosing the first available space purely for expediency, even if visitors would struggle to find it.
From A Shorter Route to a Decision.

Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.

Synonym reference scope and sources

The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.

How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license

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