1
as in economical
careful in the management of money or resources
it is possible to be provident without being miserly
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of provident
The ordinance also recognizes domestic workers as formal workers and extends protections to employees of non-profit organizations, including eligibility for provident fund and pension schemes.
—
Mayu Saini, Sourcing Journal, 21 Nov. 2025
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
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 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
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
Mayu Saini, Sourcing Journal, 21 Nov. 2025
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
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 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
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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Anti-nuclear activists still argue that renewable energy like wind and solar are safer and more economical.—
Avi Asher-Schapiro,
ProPublica,
24 Mar. 2026
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As expected, Seattle chose to be economical about adding bodies to the depth chart, while shifting focus to the 2026 NFL Draft.—
Michael-Shawn Dugar,
New York Times,
16 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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With multiple players coming back from injury — as well as a questionable turf field — the Current opted to take a cautious approach.—
Daniel Sperry,
Kansas City Star,
26 Mar. 2026
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Lee says Everpure’s initial approach to generative AI was fairly cautious after the launch of ChatGPT, as the company wanted to take time to set up governance protocols around data privacy and security.—
John Kell,
Fortune,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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An assembly of planets in Aries moves through your twelfth house, stirring emotions behind the scenes and asking for careful tending.—
Kirah Tabourn,
Condé Nast Traveler,
28 Mar. 2026
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To the begonia collectors out there, Begona Black Velvet, with large leaves that could have fallen from a maple tree, is worth a careful look.—
Joshua Siskin,
Oc Register,
28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The former are made using a resource-saving, closed-loop process.—
Alexandra Harrell,
Sourcing Journal,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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In regular times, these could be seen as prudent security measures for high-profile flyers or simply good customer service for some of the airlines’ best customers.—
Patricia Murphy,
AJC.com,
24 Mar. 2026
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Prudent warning Adam Dean, a political scientist who researches labor conditions at the George Washington University and has studied California’s heat illness regulations, said issuing the advisory was a prudent move because an off-season heat event can be more dangerous.—
Joe Rubin,
Sacbee.com,
21 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Kraus said his focus on City Council would be on creating a secure, sustainable community where his own grandchildren could thrive by balancing proactive law enforcement with community support.—
Nathan Pilling
March 29,
Kansas City Star,
29 Mar. 2026
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Haller said one of the most proactive things people can do is to get screened as early as recommended, and that sometimes symptoms are easily overlooked.—
Emily McLeod,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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These word assemblages could then be linked to one another or branch off in entirely new directions—a farsighted idea for the time.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
12 Dec. 2025
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Avoiding these dangers and reducing the U.S. economy’s exposure to risk requires a careful, farsighted strategy that recognizes the reality of the United States’ place in today’s world.—
Don Graves,
Foreign Affairs,
24 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Whether those concerns are prescient or represent a buying opportunity is in the eye of the beholder.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
27 Mar. 2026
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At the time, fellow Arab leaders sniffed, but today, with the enormous cost of regional chaos weighing directly on the Gulf, the king’s words are prescient.—
Hadley Gamble,
semafor.com,
19 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Provident.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/provident. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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