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expeditiously

B2
adverb

Pronunciation

UK

  • /ˌɛkspədˈɪʃəsli/

US

  • /ˌɛkspəˈdɪʃəsli/

Description

Imagine a royal messenger carrying urgent news to the king. They would not simply walk - they would move expeditiously, meaning quickly, efficiently, and without unnecessary delay. The idea is not just speed, but steady action with a clear purpose.

"Expeditiously" is often used in formal contexts, such as legal documents, business reports, or official instructions. A lawyer might ask an assistant to gather evidence "expeditiously," meaning it should be done as soon as possible and in an efficient way. You would not usually tell a friend to clean their room "expeditiously," but you might read that a court expects a case to move forward that way. Think of it as getting something done fast and with little wasted time.

Examples

  1. 1

    Hospital care

    The hospital staff worked expeditiously to find a bed for the patient.

  2. 2

    Application processing

    Please return the signed form expeditiously so we can process your application.

  3. 3

    Legal process

    The judge told both sides to handle the case expeditiously.

    • Usage

      common in formal or legal English

  4. 4

    Repair work

    Once the team found the source of the leak, they moved expeditiously to fix it.

  5. 5

    Project planning

    We need to proceed expeditiously if we want the new system ready by June.

Forms and spellings

1 form open this card.

Main spelling

  • expeditiouslyadverb