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” has 13 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #35,713. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#35,713
frequency rank, English
2,246
“E” headwords
13
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Suitable to effect some desired end or the purpose intended.

Corpus desk

Index EN-expedient · expedient · English

expedient · rank #35,713 · 13 variants · 2 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #35,713
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 2 pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 13 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,246
  • PHOTO-FINISH excrement

Nearest frequency peer: excrement (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Frequency neighbourhood for “expedient”

Lower corpus rank = more everyday usage (inverted bar length for readability)

corpus weight

What this shows Bars show where “expedient” sits against the nearest ranked English headwords in the FrequencyWords band, not a reprint of letter-browse containment.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

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

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).expedientlands here:

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

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Same rarity band neighbours include “excrement” (#35,712), “fac” (#35,714), “fallow” (#35,715). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 13 spelling variants around expedient (IPA /ɪkˈspiːdi.ənt/), anadjective. Corpus frequency is #35,713 among 2,246 “E” headwords. Wiktionary lists 4 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

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.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how expedient appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. Most people, faced with a decision, will choose the most expedient option.
  2. Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away; for if I go not away, the Comforter willnot come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.

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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "expedient", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 9 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

excrement#35,712eloquence#35,704dystrophy#35,701Dickerson#35,684

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (13 here; floor ≥5).

Crenshaw13 variantscranking13 variantsinsoluble13 variantsknighted13 variants

What to do next

You've looked up "expedient". Here's where to go from here.

  • "expedient" maps to 2 confusable pairs in this vintage; the highest-scored is "experiment". View pair
  • 13 edit-distance misspelling variants are generated for spell-check research on this headword. See variants
  • Usage frequency rank #35,713 among English headwords in this corpus. Corpus statistics
  • Browse more English words in the "E" letter cohort. E–Z browse
  • PlainSpell rotates a curated Word of the Day from the English corpus, a passive way to discover vocabulary. Word of the Day

PlainSpell is a reference corpus, not spelling advice. Verify unusual forms in context.

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