provision

1 of 2

noun

pro·​vi·​sion prə-ˈvi-zhən How to pronounce provision (audio)
1
a
: the act or process of providing
b
: the fact or state of being prepared beforehand
c
: a measure taken beforehand to deal with a need or contingency : preparation
made provision for replacements
2
: a stock of needed materials or supplies
especially : a stock of food
usually used in plural
3

provision

2 of 2

verb

pro·​vi·​sion prə-ˈvi-zhən How to pronounce provision (audio)
provisioned; provisioning prə-ˈvi-zhə-niŋ How to pronounce provision (audio)
-ˈvizh-niŋ

transitive verb

: to supply with needed materials (such as food) : to supply with provisions

Examples of provision in a Sentence

Noun The President, of all people, should know how difficult it is to take care of basic things like, say, prescription drugs for the elderly or shelter from the storm—especially if your government places a low priority on the efficient provision of public services and a high priority on the care and feeding of cronies … Joe Klein, Time, 6 Feb. 2006
Nothing was overlooked. There was a fallback position, a fail-safe provision, for any contingency. Gary Wills, New York Times Book Review, 1 Apr. 2001
They wheedled the American Congress into awarding entry terms more favorable than those enjoyed by any other state, including two unique provisions: Texas and not the federal government would own all public lands, and the state would retain forever the right to divide into five smaller states if that proved attractive, each one to have two senators and a proportionate number of representatives. James A. Michener, Texas, 1985
Provisions should be made for regular inspections. He made provisions to donate part of his fortune to charity after he died. You should make provision for emergencies. I carried my provisions in one large backpack. We brought enough provisions to last the entire trip. Verb Few modern eaters consume such a wide range of plants, fruits, and animals, even when provisioned by a vast international or multi-ethnic marketplace. Donna R. Gabaccia, We Are What We Eat, 1998
But biographies, like translations, are rarely provisioned to last forever, for they reflect the world of their authors as much as their subjects. Morris Dickstein, New York Times Book Review, 1 Feb. 1998
As the cubs began to feed more regularly on meat, she provisioned them with hares, hyraxes, an Egyptian mongoose, and guinea fowl. John A. Cavallo, Natural History, February 1990
They stopped to provision the ship. the climbers were sufficiently provisioned to withstand just about any mountaineering emergency
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
When interventions are made, policies tend to focus on investing in the nursery model and overlook provision for wraparound care. Check Warner, Forbes, 10 Oct. 2024 With provisions in the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act set to expire at the end of 2025 if Congress doesn’t take action, higher tax rates could be on the horizon. Sharon Epperson,stephanie Dhue, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2024
Verb
Many also feature specialized yacht concierge services, including help with bookings, provisioning, and arranging both sea and land activities to enhance guests’ extended itineraries. Dubai Tourism Contributor, Forbes, 17 Sep. 2024 These budgetary constraints mean that often, peacekeepers are also unevenly and inadequately trained and provisioned. Jean-Pierre Lacroix, Foreign Affairs, 2 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for provision 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'provision.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin & Latin; Late Latin provision-, provisio act of providing, from Latin, foresight, from providēre to see ahead — more at provide

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1809, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of provision was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near provision

Cite this Entry

“Provision.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/provision. Accessed 14 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

provision

1 of 2 noun
pro·​vi·​sion prə-ˈvizh-ən How to pronounce provision (audio)
1
a
: the act or process of providing
provision of transportation for the trip
b
: something done beforehand : preparation
make provision for emergencies
2
: a stock of materials or supplies
especially : a stock of food
usually used in plural
3
: condition entry 1 sense 1
a constitutional provision

provision

2 of 2 verb
provisioned; provisioning -ˈvizh-(ə-)niŋ How to pronounce provision (audio)
: to supply with provisions

Legal Definition

provision

noun
pro·​vi·​sion prə-ˈvi-zhən How to pronounce provision (audio)
: a stipulation (as a clause in a statute or contract) made beforehand

More from Merriam-Webster on provision

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