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"Expedient" = convenient or practical for the moment, but possibly unprincipled; "expeditious" = quick, efficient, and prompt.
Side-by-side comparison
"Expedient" describes something convenient or practical for achieving a goal, even if it is not the most honest or ethical choice. It carries a hint of opportunism.
Settling the dispute quietly was expedient, even if it was not entirely honest.
He chose the most expedient solution, it was not ideal, but it saved a lot of time.
She found a financial expedient to cover the gap while she was waiting for the loan.
"Expeditious" describes something done quickly and efficiently. It carries no negative connotation; it simply means swift and effective.
The hospital promised an expeditious review and a response within forty-eight hours.
Please handle this in the most expeditious way possible, the client is waiting on it.
The rescue team worked in an expeditious manner and saved all three hikers in time.
Common mistake
- •"Let's find the most expedient solution" when meaning "the fastest" is wrong: "expedient" does not mean fast, it means convenient or practical (possibly unprincipled).
- •"Expeditious" is the correct adjective for fast and efficient.
Trick to remember it
"Expedient" ends in "-ient" like "patient" or "lenient": it describes an ATTITUDE (convenient, pragmatic). "Expeditious" ends in "-itious" like "ambitious": it describes an ACTIVE QUALITY (fast, efficient). Convenient = expedient. Fast = expeditious.
Quick rule
- •"Expedient" = convenient, practical for the moment (does not imply speed).
- •"Expeditious" = fast and efficient (no ethical implication).
Did you know?
"Expedire" in Latin literally meant "to free the foot from a snare" (ex = out, pes/pedis = foot). A trapped foot prevents progress. From this root came "expedient" (what conveniently clears your path), "expeditious" (what makes work advance quickly), and "expedition" (an organized outing). Romans used "expeditus" for a soldier without heavy equipment who could move fast, the direct origin of "expeditious" meaning prompt and efficient.
Practise what you learned
Exercise 1 · Pick the right one
The manager chose the most _____ solution — it was practical, even if it wasn't entirely ethical.
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
The team worked in an _____ manner and finished the project two days early.
Exercise 3 · Form the word
Related word pairs
"Discomfit" = to disconcert, unsettle, or frustrate someone; "discomfort" = to cause or feel physical or emotional unease.
'Evoke' = to call forth a feeling or memory; 'invoke' = to call upon something formally or put it into effect.
"Above" is at a higher level without contact; "over" implies covering, movement, or crossing.
'Currently' means 'at the present time'; 'actually' means 'in reality', not 'nowadays'.
Bryan López
Founder of SpeakUP Academy