1
as in economical
careful in the management of money or resources
it is possible to be provident without being miserly
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of provident
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
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
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 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
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
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
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 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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These can feel like economical bonuses, but the cost of these comforts are also equally consequential.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
7 Aug. 2025
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As saccharine salsa romántica became a pop phenomenon, Palmieri skewed toward economical composition and sonic bombardment, his penchant for trombone-heavy setups sparking a movement of its own within salsa.—
Jazz Monroe,
Pitchfork,
7 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Be cautious when corresponding with unfamiliar accounts.—
Tamia Fowlkes,
jsonline.com,
14 Aug. 2025
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Rules were unclear, most people didn't understand the technology, and money flowing into the space was cautious.—
Sandy Carter,
Forbes.com,
13 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Be careful not to break the stems on flowers like cosmos or coneflowers because a bent stem won't provide water to the bloom.—
Andy Wilcox,
Better Homes & Gardens,
5 Aug. 2025
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Be careful to navigate around these components and move slowly when cutting anything with a mix of hard and soft textures, Rade Vukmir, MD, professor of clinical emergency medicine at Drexel University College of Medicine, tells SELF.—
Erica Sloan,
SELF,
5 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Hope alone isn’t prudent in the pursuit of a playoff spot or division title.—
Chandler Rome,
New York Times,
13 Aug. 2025
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Stars win, no matter how prudent the finances are with the overall roster.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
9 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Experts say the growing intensity and reach of wildfires demand a more proactive public health response, including community air filtration programs and better emergency planning for hospitals.—
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Aug. 2025
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By enabling proactive intervention and preserving the integrity of gameplay, these innovations can unlock new frontiers for engagement.—
Anees Ali Khan,
Forbes.com,
8 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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No matter what compromises Lucas and our farsighted mayor at the time, Rahm Emanuel, offered, there was no compromise from this group.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
31 July 2025
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Eastwood’s farsighted plan also involved advancing his acting career.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
23 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Provident.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/provident. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
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