pro·vi·sion
prə-ˈvi-zhən 
1
a
: the act or process of providing
They saw to the provision of transportation for the trip.
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
We made no more provision for growing older, than we did for growing younger.—
Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens2
: a stock of needed materials or supplies
We brought enough provisions to last the entire trip.
It seems they wanted no time to get themselves ready; for they had neither clothes nor provisions, nor anything in the world but what they had on them …—Daniel Defoe
Daniel Defoe
especially
: a stock of food
—usually used in plural
I like to pick up provisions at a trading post along the way, then picnic in this place of brutal beauty. —Jean Anderson
Jean Anderson 3
: proviso, stipulation
This provision was placed in the Constitution of the State, and, although miserably enforced, was never repealed.—W. E. B. Du Bois
W. E. B. Du Bois
pro·vi·sion
prə-ˈvi-zhən
provisioned; provisioning
prə-ˈvi-zhə-niŋ
-ˈvizh-niŋ
: 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
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
Arkansas Online, 3 Nov. 2025
Shohei Ohtani’s two-way prowess has already forced Major League Baseball to revise its rulebook, adding provisions to protect his ability to pitch and hit in the same game.
—Chandler Rome, New York Times, 2 Nov. 2025
New Atlas, 8 Oct. 2025
Inside, the wasp provisions its offspring with paralyzed spiders or insects.
—Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for provision
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Noun
Those provisions are unconstitutional because of a conflict with the state constitution, Womack said.
—Arkansas Online, 3 Nov. 2025
Shohei Ohtani’s two-way prowess has already forced Major League Baseball to revise its rulebook, adding provisions to protect his ability to pitch and hit in the same game.
—Chandler Rome, New York Times, 2 Nov. 2025
Verb
Every hatch is split into a series of storage cubbies, drawers and slide-outs that give each and every piece of provisioning a dedicated place to call home.
—New Atlas, 8 Oct. 2025
Inside, the wasp provisions its offspring with paralyzed spiders or insects.
—Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for provision
Cite this Entry
“Provision.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/provision. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
provision
1 of 2 noun
pro·vi·sion
prə-ˈvizh-ən
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
Legal Definition
provision
noun
pro·vi·sion
prə-ˈvi-zhən
: a stipulation (as a clause in a statute or contract) made beforehand
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