1
as in carelessness
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2
as in liberality
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Recent Examples of improvidence
Two key factors in the SVB disaster can’t be overlooked: The incompetence of the bank’s management and the improvidence of its customers.
—
Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2023
Christina Stead gives an unflinching portrait of her own childhood, dominated by improvidence, quarrels and violence—and a crazed, buccaneering idealist of a father who both adores and exploits his ever-increasing brood of children.
—Marina Warner, WSJ, 19 Aug. 2022
Some of them cheered for the development of natural resources, and some of them expressed dismay over the waste, improvidence, and disruption that progress unleashed.
—Patty Limerick, The Denver Post, 14 Feb. 2020
In the most spectacular example of improvidence, 54-year-old Larraine blows an entire month’s worth of food stamps on a single meal of lobster tails, shrimp, crab and lemon meringue pie, washed down with Pepsi.
—Barbara Ehrenreich, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2016
Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2023
Christina Stead gives an unflinching portrait of her own childhood, dominated by improvidence, quarrels and violence—and a crazed, buccaneering idealist of a father who both adores and exploits his ever-increasing brood of children.
—Marina Warner, WSJ, 19 Aug. 2022
Some of them cheered for the development of natural resources, and some of them expressed dismay over the waste, improvidence, and disruption that progress unleashed.
—Patty Limerick, The Denver Post, 14 Feb. 2020
In the most spectacular example of improvidence, 54-year-old Larraine blows an entire month’s worth of food stamps on a single meal of lobster tails, shrimp, crab and lemon meringue pie, washed down with Pepsi.
—Barbara Ehrenreich, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2016
Recent Examples of Synonyms for improvidence
Noun
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Also, of course, there was always the danger of damage in transit, of human carelessness.—
Han Ong,
New Yorker,
15 Mar. 2026
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Someone gets hurt, the cause points toward another person’s carelessness, and suddenly, the situation becomes legal instead of just painful.—
Maria Williams,
USA Today,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Mackenzie had earned a reputation for piety, patriotism, lack of humor and liberality with the lash.—
Gerard Helferich,
WSJ,
10 Nov. 2023
-
All the states Lauck writes about benefited from the liberality of the Northwest Ordinance of 1787.—
Phil Christman,
The New Republic,
22 Feb. 2023
Noun
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The heedlessness of the children has touched her mood.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Aug. 2025
Noun
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This is the sort of managerial aimlessness the Post is being governed by, just one example of the missteps and squandering of opportunity framed as strategy.—
Sally Jenkins,
The Atlantic,
5 Feb. 2026
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Kiké Hernández followed with a flyout to complete the squandering.—
Fabian Ardaya,
New York Times,
4 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Quelling ‘Hormuz myopia’ To be sure, there are also key differences between today and the 1970s that may prevent a repeat of that era’s crisis.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
2 Mar. 2026
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Severe myopia increases the risk of serious eye disease; but myopia treated early can slow its progression.—
Brian Park,
Mercury News,
24 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Setting a more realistic limit can support both generosity and stability.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
19 Mar. 2026
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Researchers look at six factors including GDP per capita, life expectancy, generosity and perceptions of freedom and corruption to help account for variations among countries.—
Jeanne Bonner,
CNN Money,
19 Mar. 2026
Noun
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But the chaos and imprudence of Trump’s misguided and mismanaged tariffs have roiled the markets and fueled talk of a recession.—
S.E. Cupp,
New York Daily News,
12 Mar. 2025
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But the apparent imprudence of such a ploy didn’t stop Murphy, Davidson, or Regan, who would go on to challenge the N.H.L. and N.F.L., two other powerhouse leagues that had been around since the 1920s.—
airmail.news,
airmail.news,
31 Aug. 2024
Noun
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Usually, such situations are due to some sort of island sickness or reward feast over-indulgence after weeks of not eating normal food.—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 Mar. 2026
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While Silversea and Seabourn straddle the line between luxury and expedition, a pair of high‑end specialists cater directly to travelers seeking adventure wrapped in indulgence.—
David Dickstein,
Oc Register,
4 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Improvidence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/improvidence. Accessed 22 Mar. 2026.
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