1
as in economical
careful in the management of money or resources
it is possible to be provident without being miserly
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in cautious
having or showing awareness of and preparation for the future
her provident measures kept us safe while we waited out the hurricane
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of provident
The ordinance also recognizes domestic workers as formal workers and extends protections to employees of non-profit organizations, including eligibility for provident fund and pension schemes.
—
Mayu Saini, Sourcing Journal, 21 Nov. 2025
My brother-in-law was not what one calls a provident father.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 22 Aug. 2024
For example, many cities have begun allowing parents to help their children buy an apartment using their housing provident funds, a kind of compulsory saving program in China.
—Jacky Wong, WSJ, 16 Sep. 2022
Its pilots are angry over not having received the company’s contribution towards their provident fund since 2020, even as pay cuts continue.
—Niharika Sharma, Quartz, 13 July 2022
Social Security would likely be replaced also with a provident-fund system, basically a private retirement account with mandatory contributions, with backup provisions if this proves to be insufficient in old age.
—Nathan Lewis, Forbes, 15 Sep. 2021
That led to another announcement this spring, which prevented people from using BN(O) passports for the early withdrawal of mandatory provident funds (MPFs).
—Michelle Toh and Kristie Lu Stout, CNN, 26 Aug. 2021
The deficits, however, demand a more provident approach to the ballooning defense budget (now larger than everything else in the federal discretionary budget combined).
—Jessica T. Mathews, The New York Review of Books, 20 Aug. 2020
The combined employer-and-employee contribution rates into the city’s central provident fund – the main pension plan – currently drop from 37% at 55 years of age to as low as 12.5% for older workers.
—Washington Post, 19 Sep. 2019
Mayu Saini, Sourcing Journal, 21 Nov. 2025
My brother-in-law was not what one calls a provident father.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 22 Aug. 2024
For example, many cities have begun allowing parents to help their children buy an apartment using their housing provident funds, a kind of compulsory saving program in China.
—Jacky Wong, WSJ, 16 Sep. 2022
Its pilots are angry over not having received the company’s contribution towards their provident fund since 2020, even as pay cuts continue.
—Niharika Sharma, Quartz, 13 July 2022
Social Security would likely be replaced also with a provident-fund system, basically a private retirement account with mandatory contributions, with backup provisions if this proves to be insufficient in old age.
—Nathan Lewis, Forbes, 15 Sep. 2021
That led to another announcement this spring, which prevented people from using BN(O) passports for the early withdrawal of mandatory provident funds (MPFs).
—Michelle Toh and Kristie Lu Stout, CNN, 26 Aug. 2021
The deficits, however, demand a more provident approach to the ballooning defense budget (now larger than everything else in the federal discretionary budget combined).
—Jessica T. Mathews, The New York Review of Books, 20 Aug. 2020
The combined employer-and-employee contribution rates into the city’s central provident fund – the main pension plan – currently drop from 37% at 55 years of age to as low as 12.5% for older workers.
—Washington Post, 19 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for provident
Adjective
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The Dolphins need edge rushers, and Sullivan found a couple of economical options in free agency in Josh Uche and David Ojabo.—
David Furones,
Sun Sentinel,
31 Mar. 2026
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As with the others, Bjorn and wife and creative director Julija’s thoughtful touches are everywhere, from the singular pieces of vintage decor that fill the rooms to the economical (and ecological) construction of the cabins.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Be cautious of calls or emails claiming to be from your bank asking for verification or urgent action.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
1 Apr. 2026
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Be cautious — but don’t write off rattlesnakes as vicious, the experts say.—
Karen Garcia,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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An assembly of planets in Aries moves through your twelfth house, stirring emotions behind the scenes and asking for careful tending.—
Kirah Tabourn,
Condé Nast Traveler,
28 Mar. 2026
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To the begonia collectors out there, Begona Black Velvet, with large leaves that could have fallen from a maple tree, is worth a careful look.—
Joshua Siskin,
Oc Register,
28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The former are made using a resource-saving, closed-loop process.—
Alexandra Harrell,
Sourcing Journal,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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That move, which may have seemed prudent at the time, ended up killing off the TFG’s chances.—
Bryan Hood,
Robb Report,
31 Mar. 2026
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Local launch traffic will likely be heavy, so leaving yourself hours of flexibility is prudent.—
Elizabeth Howell,
Space.com,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Kraus said his focus on City Council would be on creating a secure, sustainable community where his own grandchildren could thrive by balancing proactive law enforcement with community support.—
Nathan Pilling
March 29,
Kansas City Star,
29 Mar. 2026
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Haller said one of the most proactive things people can do is to get screened as early as recommended, and that sometimes symptoms are easily overlooked.—
Emily McLeod,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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These word assemblages could then be linked to one another or branch off in entirely new directions—a farsighted idea for the time.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
12 Dec. 2025
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Avoiding these dangers and reducing the U.S. economy’s exposure to risk requires a careful, farsighted strategy that recognizes the reality of the United States’ place in today’s world.—
Don Graves,
Foreign Affairs,
24 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Whether those concerns are prescient or represent a buying opportunity is in the eye of the beholder.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
27 Mar. 2026
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At the time, fellow Arab leaders sniffed, but today, with the enormous cost of regional chaos weighing directly on the Gulf, the king’s words are prescient.—
Hadley Gamble,
semafor.com,
19 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Provident.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/provident. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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