Definition

1. Noun:
   • An unplanned, makeshift solution: A "temporary expedient" is a stopgap measure or action taken to deal with an immediate problem or need, without long-term planning or consideration for future consequences. It is intended to serve only for a short time.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Using a piece of cardboard to cover the broken window was just a temporary expedient until the glass could be replaced.
  • The manager's decision to hire freelancers was a temporary expedient to handle the sudden increase in workload.

Advanced Usage

• "as a temporary expedient": Used to describe an action taken specifically to serve as a short-term solution.
  • The policy was implemented as a temporary expedient during the crisis, but it remained in place for years.

Variants and Related Words

• Expedient (noun): A means of attaining an end, especially one that is convenient or practical, though possibly improper or immoral.
  • He viewed the lie as a necessary expedient to avoid conflict.
• Stopgap (noun): A temporary way of dealing with a problem or satisfying a need.
  • The new hire is a stopgap until we find a permanent manager.

Synonyms

• Stopgap
• Makeshift
• Improvisation
• Provisional measure

Related Phrases

• Band-Aid solution: An informal term for a temporary fix that does not address the root cause of a problem.
  • The software patch is merely a Band-Aid solution for the underlying security flaw.

Noun

1. an unplanned expedient