diff --git a/jbmc/src/java_bytecode/remove_java_new.cpp b/jbmc/src/java_bytecode/remove_java_new.cpp
index c74e508d933..849d5565558 100644
--- a/jbmc/src/java_bytecode/remove_java_new.cpp
+++ b/jbmc/src/java_bytecode/remove_java_new.cpp
@@ -280,8 +280,7 @@ goto_programt::targett remove_java_newt::lower_java_new_array(
     const auto zero_element =
       zero_initializer(data.type().subtype(), location, ns);
     CHECK_RETURN(zero_element.has_value());
-    codet array_set(ID_array_set);
-    array_set.copy_to_operands(new_array_data_symbol, *zero_element);
+    codet array_set{ID_array_set, {new_array_data_symbol, *zero_element}};
     dest.insert_before(next, goto_programt::make_other(array_set, location));
   }
 
diff --git a/src/ansi-c/c_typecheck_expr.cpp b/src/ansi-c/c_typecheck_expr.cpp
index 82fc855c68a..9f377702292 100644
--- a/src/ansi-c/c_typecheck_expr.cpp
+++ b/src/ansi-c/c_typecheck_expr.cpp
@@ -1035,8 +1035,8 @@ void c_typecheck_baset::typecheck_expr_sizeof(exprt &expr)
     // It is not obvious whether the type or 'e' should be evaluated
     // first.
 
-    exprt comma_expr(ID_comma, expr.type());
-    comma_expr.copy_to_operands(side_effect_expr, expr);
+    binary_exprt comma_expr{
+      std::move(side_effect_expr), ID_comma, expr, expr.type()};
     expr.swap(comma_expr);
   }
 }
@@ -1085,8 +1085,8 @@ void c_typecheck_baset::typecheck_expr_typecast(exprt &expr)
     // It is not obvious whether the type or 'e' should be evaluated
     // first.
 
-    exprt comma_expr(ID_comma, op.type());
-    comma_expr.copy_to_operands(side_effect_expr, op);
+    binary_exprt comma_expr{
+      std::move(side_effect_expr), ID_comma, op, op.type()};
     op.swap(comma_expr);
   }
 
diff --git a/src/goto-programs/builtin_functions.cpp b/src/goto-programs/builtin_functions.cpp
index a154338c099..6e3c59c89e0 100644
--- a/src/goto-programs/builtin_functions.cpp
+++ b/src/goto-programs/builtin_functions.cpp
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ void goto_convertt::do_prob_uniform(
     throw 0;
   }
 
-  rhs.copy_to_operands(arguments[0], arguments[1]);
+  rhs.add_to_operands(exprt{arguments[0]}, exprt{arguments[1]});
 
   code_assignt assignment(lhs, rhs);
   assignment.add_source_location()=function.source_location();
diff --git a/src/goto-programs/goto_convert_side_effect.cpp b/src/goto-programs/goto_convert_side_effect.cpp
index 2a5785b1eb9..dd24393cbe6 100644
--- a/src/goto-programs/goto_convert_side_effect.cpp
+++ b/src/goto-programs/goto_convert_side_effect.cpp
@@ -112,29 +112,23 @@ void goto_convertt::remove_assignment(
       UNREACHABLE;
     }
 
-    exprt rhs;
-
-    const typet &op0_type = to_binary_expr(expr).op0().type();
+    const binary_exprt &binary_expr = to_binary_expr(expr);
+    const typet &op0_type = binary_expr.op0().type();
 
     PRECONDITION(
       op0_type.id() != ID_c_enum_tag && op0_type.id() != ID_c_enum &&
       op0_type.id() != ID_c_bool && op0_type.id() != ID_bool);
 
-    rhs.id(new_id);
-    rhs.copy_to_operands(
-      to_binary_expr(expr).op0(), to_binary_expr(expr).op1());
-    rhs.type() = to_binary_expr(expr).op0().type();
+    exprt rhs = binary_exprt{binary_expr.op0(), new_id, binary_expr.op1()};
     rhs.add_source_location() = expr.source_location();
 
-    if(
-      result_is_used && !address_taken &&
-      needs_cleaning(to_binary_expr(expr).op0()))
+    if(result_is_used && !address_taken && needs_cleaning(binary_expr.op0()))
     {
       make_temp_symbol(rhs, "assign", dest, mode);
       replacement_expr_opt = rhs;
     }
 
-    exprt new_lhs = skip_typecast(to_binary_expr(expr).op0());
+    exprt new_lhs = skip_typecast(binary_expr.op0());
     rhs = typecast_exprt::conditional_cast(rhs, new_lhs.type());
     rhs.add_source_location() = expr.source_location();
     code_assignt assignment(new_lhs, rhs);
@@ -196,14 +190,6 @@ void goto_convertt::remove_pre(
     statement == ID_preincrement || statement == ID_predecrement,
     "expects preincrement or predecrement");
 
-  exprt rhs;
-  rhs.add_source_location()=expr.source_location();
-
-  if(statement==ID_preincrement)
-    rhs.id(ID_plus);
-  else
-    rhs.id(ID_minus);
-
   const auto &op = to_unary_expr(expr).op();
   const typet &op_type = op.type();
 
@@ -233,8 +219,9 @@ void goto_convertt::remove_pre(
   else
     constant = from_integer(1, constant_type);
 
-  rhs.add_to_operands(op, std::move(constant));
-  rhs.type() = op.type();
+  exprt rhs = binary_exprt{
+    op, statement == ID_preincrement ? ID_plus : ID_minus, std::move(constant)};
+  rhs.add_source_location() = expr.source_location();
 
   const bool cannot_use_lhs =
     result_is_used && !address_taken && needs_cleaning(op);
@@ -282,14 +269,6 @@ void goto_convertt::remove_post(
     statement == ID_postincrement || statement == ID_postdecrement,
     "expects postincrement or postdecrement");
 
-  exprt rhs;
-  rhs.add_source_location()=expr.source_location();
-
-  if(statement==ID_postincrement)
-    rhs.id(ID_plus);
-  else
-    rhs.id(ID_minus);
-
   const auto &op = to_unary_expr(expr).op();
   const typet &op_type = op.type();
 
@@ -319,8 +298,11 @@ void goto_convertt::remove_post(
   else
     constant = from_integer(1, constant_type);
 
-  rhs.add_to_operands(op, std::move(constant));
-  rhs.type() = op.type();
+  binary_exprt rhs{
+    op,
+    statement == ID_postincrement ? ID_plus : ID_minus,
+    std::move(constant)};
+  rhs.add_source_location() = expr.source_location();
 
   code_assignt assignment(op, rhs);
   assignment.add_source_location()=expr.find_source_location();
diff --git a/src/jsil/jsil_convert.cpp b/src/jsil/jsil_convert.cpp
index 20e44a9a44e..1e9f66c945c 100644
--- a/src/jsil/jsil_convert.cpp
+++ b/src/jsil/jsil_convert.cpp
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ bool jsil_convertt::convert_code(const symbolt &symbol, codet &code)
       code_try_catcht t_c(std::move(t));
       // Adding empty symbol to catch decl
       code_frontend_declt d(symbol_exprt::typeless("decl_symbol"));
-      t_c.add_catch(d, g);
+      t_c.add_catch(std::move(d), std::move(g));
       t_c.add_source_location()=code.source_location();
 
       code.swap(t_c);
diff --git a/src/solvers/flattening/boolbv_get.cpp b/src/solvers/flattening/boolbv_get.cpp
index 19fe12dd050..0eabf7a4b24 100644
--- a/src/solvers/flattening/boolbv_get.cpp
+++ b/src/solvers/flattening/boolbv_get.cpp
@@ -356,7 +356,7 @@ exprt boolbvt::bv_get_unbounded_array(const exprt &expr) const
         it++)
     {
       exprt index=from_integer(it->first, size.type());
-      result.copy_to_operands(index, it->second);
+      result.add_to_operands(std::move(index), exprt{it->second});
     }
   }
   else
diff --git a/src/solvers/lowering/byte_operators.cpp b/src/solvers/lowering/byte_operators.cpp
index 925f4446fb9..7c110207fb7 100644
--- a/src/solvers/lowering/byte_operators.cpp
+++ b/src/solvers/lowering/byte_operators.cpp
@@ -1408,7 +1408,7 @@ static exprt lower_byte_update_byte_array_vector(
   {
     const exprt &element = value_as_byte_array.operands()[i];
 
-    const exprt where = simplify_expr(
+    exprt where = simplify_expr(
       plus_exprt{src.offset(), from_integer(i, src.offset().type())}, ns);
 
     // skip elements that wouldn't change (skip over typecasts as we might have
@@ -1437,9 +1437,9 @@ static exprt lower_byte_update_byte_array_vector(
       update_value = typecast_exprt::conditional_cast(element, subtype);
 
     if(result.id() != ID_with)
-      result = with_exprt{result, where, update_value};
+      result = with_exprt{result, std::move(where), std::move(update_value)};
     else
-      result.add_to_operands(where, update_value);
+      result.add_to_operands(std::move(where), std::move(update_value));
   }
 
   return simplify_expr(std::move(result), ns);
diff --git a/src/util/expr.h b/src/util/expr.h
index 61b7a1caedb..150b2032422 100644
--- a/src/util/expr.h
+++ b/src/util/expr.h
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ Author: Daniel Kroening, kroening@kroening.com
 #define CPROVER_UTIL_EXPR_H
 
 #include "as_const.h"
+#include "deprecate.h"
 #include "type.h"
 #include "validate_expressions.h"
 #include "validate_types.h"
@@ -148,6 +149,7 @@ class exprt:public irept
   /// Copy the given arguments to the end of `exprt`'s operands.
   /// \param e1: first `exprt` to append to the operands
   /// \param e2: second `exprt` to append to the operands
+  DEPRECATED(SINCE(2022, 2, 15, "use add_to_operands(&&, &&) instead"))
   void copy_to_operands(const exprt &e1, const exprt &e2)
   {
     operandst &op = operands();
@@ -161,6 +163,7 @@ class exprt:public irept
   /// Add the given arguments to the end of `exprt`'s operands.
   /// \param e1: first `exprt` to append to the operands
   /// \param e2: second `exprt` to append to the operands
+  DEPRECATED(SINCE(2022, 2, 15, "use add_to_operands(&&, &&) instead"))
   void add_to_operands(const exprt &e1, const exprt &e2)
   {
     copy_to_operands(e1, e2);
@@ -183,6 +186,7 @@ class exprt:public irept
   /// \param e1: first `exprt` to append to the operands
   /// \param e2: second `exprt` to append to the operands
   /// \param e3: third `exprt` to append to the operands
+  DEPRECATED(SINCE(2022, 2, 15, "use add_to_operands(&&, &&, &&) instead"))
   void add_to_operands(const exprt &e1, const exprt &e2, const exprt &e3)
   {
     copy_to_operands(e1, e2, e3);
@@ -192,6 +196,7 @@ class exprt:public irept
   /// \param e1: first `exprt` to append to the operands
   /// \param e2: second `exprt` to append to the operands
   /// \param e3: third `exprt` to append to the operands
+  DEPRECATED(SINCE(2022, 2, 15, "use add_to_operands(&&, &&, &&) instead"))
   void copy_to_operands(const exprt &e1, const exprt &e2, const exprt &e3)
   {
     operandst &op = operands();
diff --git a/src/util/std_code.h b/src/util/std_code.h
index ec1030c6749..3d1d17c7b32 100644
--- a/src/util/std_code.h
+++ b/src/util/std_code.h
@@ -2025,9 +2025,9 @@ class code_try_catcht:public codet
     return to_code(operands()[2*i+2]);
   }
 
-  void add_catch(const code_frontend_declt &to_catch, const codet &code_catch)
+  void add_catch(code_frontend_declt &&to_catch, codet &&code_catch)
   {
-    add_to_operands(to_catch, code_catch);
+    add_to_operands(std::move(to_catch), std::move(code_catch));
   }
 
 protected: