improvident
adjective
im·prov·i·dent
(ˌ)im-ˈprä-və-dənt 
-ˌdent
: not provident : not foreseeing and providing for the future
improvidently
adverb
Examples of improvident in a Sentence
Her improvident habits left her with no retirement savings.
the improvident view that the wearing away of the ozone layer need not concern us
Recent Examples on the Web
Then, there’s the waste that results from improvident eating habits.
—
Elizabeth Kolbert, New Yorker, 23 June 2025
Going that route is improvident.
—Andrew C. McCarthy, National Review, 5 Mar. 2022
Unsurprisingly, Peter proves to be nasty, brutish and improvident.
—Joanne Kaufman, WSJ, 2 Dec. 2022
The Flynn plea on Dec. 1, 2017 was improvident and should not have been accepted by the court.
—WSJ, 13 May 2018
Designed by the brilliant (if improvident) Donald McKay, the ship was 235 feet long with a main mast nearly 100 feet tall.
—Randall Fuller, WSJ, 19 July 2018
The Flynn plea on Dec. 1, 2017 was improvident and should not have been accepted by the court.
—WSJ, 13 May 2018
Thus, the improvident plea as drafted and signed by Special Counsel Robert Mueller was defective on its face and should have been unacceptable by the court.
—WSJ, 13 May 2018
The history of emerging markets is full of imprudent investors as well as improvident borrowers.
—The Economist, 5 Oct. 2017
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Elizabeth Kolbert, New Yorker, 23 June 2025
Going that route is improvident.
—Andrew C. McCarthy, National Review, 5 Mar. 2022
Unsurprisingly, Peter proves to be nasty, brutish and improvident.
—Joanne Kaufman, WSJ, 2 Dec. 2022
The Flynn plea on Dec. 1, 2017 was improvident and should not have been accepted by the court.
—WSJ, 13 May 2018
Designed by the brilliant (if improvident) Donald McKay, the ship was 235 feet long with a main mast nearly 100 feet tall.
—Randall Fuller, WSJ, 19 July 2018
The Flynn plea on Dec. 1, 2017 was improvident and should not have been accepted by the court.
—WSJ, 13 May 2018
Thus, the improvident plea as drafted and signed by Special Counsel Robert Mueller was defective on its face and should have been unacceptable by the court.
—WSJ, 13 May 2018
The history of emerging markets is full of imprudent investors as well as improvident borrowers.
—The Economist, 5 Oct. 2017
Cite this Entry
“Improvident.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/improvident. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
improvident
adjective
im·prov·i·dent
(ˈ)im-ˈpräv-əd-ənt
-ə-ˌdent
: not providing or saving up for the future
improvidently
adverb
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share