expedition

expedition — noun

1. a planned trip made by a group of people to a faraway or little-known place for

1.nounB2
Definition

a planned trip made by a group of people to a faraway or little-known place for a specific reason, such as exploring new territory, carrying out scientific studies, or searching for something

Example

Gabriela joined a scientific expedition to Antarctica to study penguin populations.

scientific expedition + to [place] for [purpose]

The archaeological expedition uncovered the remains of an ancient temple buried under sand.

Common collocations
  • scientific expedition
  • archaeological expedition
  • lead an expedition
  • join an expedition
  • go on an expedition
  • mount an expedition
Synonyms
  • journey

    more general; any travel from one place to another, not necessarily planned or purposeful

  • voyage

    specifically a long journey by sea or through space

  • trek

    a long, hard walking journey, often through mountains or wilderness

  • mission

    emphasises the goal or task to be achieved during the journey

Common Mistakes

I went on an expedition to the beach for the weekend.
I went on a trip to the beach for the weekend.
An expedition is a carefully planned journey with a serious aim, not a casual or leisure outing.

2. all the people travelling together on a planned journey, including any vehicles,

2.nounB2
Definition

all the people travelling together on a planned journey, including any vehicles, equipment, or animals they bring with them

Example

The entire expedition gathered at the base camp before sunrise, ready for the climb.

the entire expedition + verb of group action

Supplies were distributed among the expedition before they set off across the ice.

Common collocations
  • the entire expedition
  • lead the expedition
  • the expedition set out
  • a large expedition
  • join the expedition
Synonyms
  • crew

    the people working on a ship, aircraft, or in a specialised team; more everyday than 'expedition'

  • party

    a group of people travelling or working together, often used in 'search party' or 'rescue party'

  • team

    a group of people working together; less specific to travel

Usage Note

This sense treats the group as a single unit, so it is often used with a singular determiner such as 'the', 'her', or 'our', and can take a singular or plural verb depending on whether the focus is on the group as a whole or its individual members.

Common Mistakes

My expedition of friends went to dinner.
My group of friends went to dinner.
Using 'expedition' for an everyday social gathering sounds unnatural and overly dramatic.

3. the quality of carrying out a task or action very quickly and without wasting an

3.nounC1
Definition

the quality of carrying out a task or action very quickly and without wasting any time

Example

The matter was handled with remarkable expedition by the new manager.

with [adjective] expedition — formal fixed phrase

Marco completed the repairs with such expedition that the factory reopened ahead of schedule.

Common collocations
  • with expedition
  • with great expedition
  • with remarkable expedition
  • with due expedition
Synonyms
  • speed

    the most common everyday word; neutral and widely used

  • efficiency

    focuses on working without wasted effort or resources rather than just fast movement

  • promptness

    emphasises acting without delay, especially in response to a need

  • haste

    implies speed that may be rushed or careless; has a slightly negative tone

Antonyms

Usage Note

This sense is formal and now relatively uncommon in everyday English. It appears mainly in the fixed phrase 'with expedition' (often modified by an adjective such as 'great', 'remarkable', 'due'). In ordinary conversation, 'speed', 'efficiency', or 'promptness' is preferred.

Common Mistakes

He worked with expedition.
He worked with great expedition.
When 'expedition' means speed, it usually needs an adjective modifier (great, remarkable, due, etc.). On its own, 'with expedition' can sound incomplete.
The expedition of the work was praised.
The work was done with great expedition and was praised.
'Expedition' meaning speed is almost never used as a standalone subject; it appears in 'with + noun' prepositional phrases.

Word family

  • expedite
    verbC1
  • expeditious
    adjectiveC1
  • expeditiously
    adverbC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words describe travelling from one place to another, but they differ in scope, purpose, and register. A 'journey' is the most general term — any travel between places, whether short or long, planned or unplanned. A 'voyage' is restricted to travel by sea or through space, often long and eventful. A 'trek' specifically means a slow, difficult walking journey, usually across wild or mountainous terrain. A 'mission' focuses on the goal of the trip rather than the travel itself; you go on a mission to accomplish something specific, often in a diplomatic, military, or humanitarian context. An 'expedition' blends elements of all four: it is planned and purposeful (like a mission), involves travel to distant places (like a journey), and often requires endurance and preparation (like a trek). For example, you would take a 'journey' to visit family, go on a 'voyage' across the Atlantic, make a 'trek' through the Himalayas, and lead an 'expedition' to study wildlife in the Amazon.

journey ↗voyage ↗trek ↗mission ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • expedition leader
  • expedition member
  • expedition team

Prepositions

  • on an expedition
  • for an expedition

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Expedition comes from the Latin word 'expedītiō', meaning 'a setting free of the feet' — from 'ex-' (out of) + 'pēs' (foot). The original idea was removing fetters or obstacles so a soldier could move freely. This military sense evolved into the idea of 'preparing and sending out a body of troops', which later broadened to any organised journey. The sense of 'speed' developed from the notion of being unfettered and therefore able to move quickly.