Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun Appropriateness to the purpose at hand.
  • noun Adherence to self-serving means.
  • noun A means; an expedient.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun The quality of being expedient; fitness or suitableness to effect some desired end or the purpose intended; propriety or advisability under the particular circumstances of a case; advantageousness.
  • noun That which is expedient or suitable; the proper or most efficient mode of procedure for gaining a desired end.
  • noun Specifically, the principle of doing what is deemed most practicable or serviceable under the circumstances; utilitarian wisdom.
  • noun An expedient.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun uncountable The quality of being fit or suitable to effect some desired end or the purpose intended; suitability for particular circumstance or situation.
  • noun uncountable Pursuit of the course of action that brings the desired effect even if it is unjust or unprincipled.
  • noun obsolete Haste; dispatch.
  • noun countable An expedient.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun the quality of being suited to the end in view

Etymologies

Sorry, no etymologies found.

Support

Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word expediency.

Examples

  • Yet here too we may observe that what we term expediency is merely the law of right limited by the conditions of human society.

    The Republic by Plato ; translated by Benjamin Jowett 2006

  • Yet here too we may observe that what we term expediency is merely the law of right limited by the conditions of human society.

    The Republic 427? BC-347? BC Plato 1855

  • I can't say I share your 'Mea Culpa' view re lack of theory ... there is no great question of theory behind the advocacy of the slogan, nor of lack of theory behind our objections to it; and I still think the switching off from class struggle to race struggle an exaggeration, and a departure from Lenin, quite apart from what you call expediency (as if 'theory' were something above expediency or expediency below theory).

    Sidney Percival Bunting Roux, Edward 1943

  • A confirmation for Sotomayor have Democrats on the Hill thinking they will garner more voter support in 2010, political expediency is the flavor of the day, not what's right or wrong based on principal.

    CNN Poll: Do Americans want Sotomayor confirmed? 2009

  • Their disregard for scientific truth in favor of political expediency is sickening.

    Science 2009

  • Also, and kind of ironically, you have to regard the theoretical McCain model of a politician as a straight shooting, straight talker, as a bad politician to support, since straight talking at the cost of political expediency is a bad thing. cmholm Says:

    Matthew Yglesias » Bygones 2009

  • Also, and kind of ironically, you have to regard the theoretical McCain model of a politician as a straight shooting, straight talker, as a bad politician to support, since straight talking at the cost of political expediency is a bad thing.

    Matthew Yglesias » Bygones 2009

  • When the parties consent to the exercise of jurisdiction by a magistrate judge, they are essentially agreeing to promote her pro hac vice to district judge, and attempting to gain expediency without sacrificing neutrality.

    The Volokh Conspiracy » District Court Opinions Precedential Within the Same District? 2010

  • I just think its inaccurate to criticize a politician for lying if you think that political expediency is a good justification for stuff.

    Matthew Yglesias » Bygones 2009

  • This should not be difficult as he's well practised at putting short-term expediency before principle.

    Letters: The case for AV – and alternative policies 2011

Comments

Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.

  • Sounds like the letters X P D N C.

    May 17, 2008