1
as in interim
intended to last, continue, or serve for a limited time
will form a provisional government until a new leader can be elected
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2
as in temporary
serving in a position for the time being
he was appointed provisional executor of the industrialist's vast estate
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Recent Examples of provisional
After the 2003 invasion of Iraq, President George W. Bush appointed Mr. Kerik interior minister for that nation’s provisional authority.
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Sam Roberts, New York Times, 30 May 2025
Alex Kent/Bloomberg via Getty Images In 2003, Kerik served in President George W. Bush's administration as the head of a provisional police force in Iraq.
—CBS News, 30 May 2025
Last July, the E.U. also imposed a provisional antisubsidy tariff of up to 37.6% on Chinese EVs, prompting Beijing to hike tariffs on European pork and brandy in retaliation.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 29 May 2025
The global body, which will oversee boxing competitions in the 2028 Olympics after being granted provisional recognition by the International Olympic Committee, made the announcement last week, less than a year after Khelif won gold in Paris amid a gender-eligibility row.
—Reuters, CNN Money, 4 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for provisional
Sam Roberts, New York Times, 30 May 2025
Alex Kent/Bloomberg via Getty Images In 2003, Kerik served in President George W. Bush's administration as the head of a provisional police force in Iraq.
—CBS News, 30 May 2025
Last July, the E.U. also imposed a provisional antisubsidy tariff of up to 37.6% on Chinese EVs, prompting Beijing to hike tariffs on European pork and brandy in retaliation.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 29 May 2025
The global body, which will oversee boxing competitions in the 2028 Olympics after being granted provisional recognition by the International Olympic Committee, made the announcement last week, less than a year after Khelif won gold in Paris amid a gender-eligibility row.
—Reuters, CNN Money, 4 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for provisional
Recent Examples of Synonyms for provisional
Adjective
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With defeat, Ternana stay in the third tier for a second successive season, and the future of interim coach Fabio Liverani remains unknown.—
David Ferrini,
Forbes.com,
8 June 2025
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Palestinian Basic Law stipulates that the speaker of the PA’s parliament is to be the interim head of government.—
Sean Durns,
The Washington Examiner,
6 June 2025
Adjective
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The aerospace giant's stock performance reflects this pattern: initial volatility followed by sustained gains as markets recognize the underlying strength of the business model and the temporary nature of most trade disruptions.—
Robert Daugherty,
Forbes.com,
7 June 2025
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While the two countries have announced a temporary truce that rolled back disruptive three-digit tariffs for 90 days, the relationship remains tense because of ongoing feuding over chip restrictions imposed by the US and other issues.—
Wayne Chang,
CNN Money,
7 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Provisional.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/provisional. Accessed 19 Jun. 2025.
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