expedient

/ɪkˈspiːdi.ənt/

//ɪkˈspiːdi.ənt// adj

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"expedient" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“expedient” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #35,713 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#35,713
frequency rank, English
9
letters
13
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Suitable to effect some desired end or the purpose intended.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

expedient vs experiment
80% similar
expedient vs expediency
80% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for expedient
PropertyValue
Headwordexpedient
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ɪkˈspiːdi.ənt/
Letters9
Frequency rank#35,713
Misspellings tracked13
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “expedient” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). expedient lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for expedient is 9 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ɪkˈspiːdi.ənt/. Corpus data places it at rank #35,713 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 4 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for expedient, with forms such as "epxedient", "exepdient", and "expdeient". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 2 confusable-pair relationships, "experiment", "expediency", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English expedient, from Old French expedient, from Latin expediens (stem expedient-), present participle of expedire (“to bring forward, to dispatch, to expedite; impers. to be profitable, serviceable, advantageous, expedient”), from ex (“out”) … The correct English form is expedient, spelled E-X-P-E-D-I-E-N-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    Suitable to effect some desired end or the purpose intended.
  2. 2
    Affording short-term benefit, often at the expense of the long-term.
  3. 3
    Governed by self-interest, often short-term self-interest.
  4. 4
    Expeditious, quick, rapid.

Etymology

From Middle English expedient, from Old French expedient, from Latin expediens (stem expedient-), present participle of expedire (“to bring forward, to dispatch, to expedite; impers. to be profitable, serviceable, advantageous, expedient”), from ex (“out”) + pēs (“foot, hoof”).

Synonyms

advisabledesirablejudiciouspoliticprudenttacticalwise

This word in other languages

conveniente(Español)expédient(Français)angebracht(Deutsch)expediente(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: epxedient,exepdient,expdeient,expeddient,expedeint,expediennt,expedientt,expedietn,expedinet,expeident,exppedient,exxpedient,xepedient

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of expedient - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

epxedient2exepdient2expdeient2expeddient1expedeint2expediennt1expedientt1expedietn2
Edit distance from "expedient"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "expedient"?
"expedient" is spelled E-X-P-E-D-I-E-N-T. The IPA pronunciation is /ɪkˈspiːdi.ənt/.
What does "expedient" mean?
As an adjective, "expedient" means: Suitable to effect some desired end or the purpose intended.
What words are commonly confused with "expedient"?
"expedient" is commonly confused with "experiment", "expediency". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "expedient"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "expedient" is /ɪkˈspiːdi.ənt/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "expedient"?
From Middle English expedient, from Old French expedient, from Latin expediens (stem expedient-), present participle of expedire (“to bring forward, to dispatch, to expedite; impers. to be profitable, serviceable, advantageous, expedient”), from e... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “expedient”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is E-X-P-E-D-I-E-N-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ɪkˈspiːdi.ənt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “experiment” - see the side-by-side comparison. expedient vs experiment
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list