What does "provision" mean?
An item of goods or supplies, especially food, obtained for future use.
Provision
/pɹəˈvɪʒ.ən/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Very common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: An item of goods or supplies, especially food, obtained for future use.
- Grammar: provision is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: supply, abundance, accommodation, accordance.
- Useful contrasts: intentional starvation, cancelling, caregiver neglect.
- Usage evidence: Fortunately, the law had anticipated and made a provision for that case.
How to use "provision"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "provision" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "provision" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "provision" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "provision" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "provision" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "supply" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "provision", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 An item of goods or supplies, especially food, obtained for future use. countable, uncountable
"[H]e hath preſerued all points of Humanity, in taking Order, and making Proviſion for the Releefe of Strangers diſtreſſed; whereof you have taſted."
- 2 the activity of supplying or providing something wordnet
- 3 The act of providing, or making previous preparation. countable, uncountable
"Fiue dayes we do allot thee for prouision, To shield thee from disasters of the world,"
- 4 the cognitive process of thinking about what you will do in the event of something happening wordnet
- 5 Money set aside for a future event. countable, uncountable
"And as congressional Republicans were passing a very unpopular Trump agenda bill last month, Vice President JD Vance argued that its historic expansion of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and new immigration enforcement provisions were so important that “everything else” was “immaterial.”"
Show 6 more definitions
- 6 a stipulated condition wordnet
- 7 A liability or contra account to recognise likely future adverse events associated with current transactions. countable, uncountable
"We increased our provision for bad debts on credit sales going into the recession."
- 8 a store or supply of something (especially of food or clothing or arms) wordnet
- 9 A clause in a legal instrument, a law, etc., providing for a particular matter; stipulation; proviso. countable, uncountable
"An arrest shall be made in accordance with the provisions of this Act."
- 10 Regular induction into a benefice, comprehending nomination, collation, and installation. countable, uncountable
- 11 A nomination by the pope to a benefice before it became vacant, depriving the patron of his right of presentation. British, countable, historical, uncountable
"a papal provision"
Verb
- 1 To supply with provisions. transitive
"to provision an army"
- 2 supply with provisions wordnet
- 3 To supply (a user) with an account, resources, etc. so that they can use a system; to install the necessary software on a bare-bones system so it can be used for a specific purpose. transitive
"A solution is to provision new systems on a private network where they can receive updates, patches, and secure configurations from an internal repository before being placed into a production network."
Antonyms
Example
"Fortunately, the law had anticipated and made a provision for that case."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "provision"?
Common synonyms include: supply, abundance, accommodation, accordance, accouterment, accumulation.
How do you use "provision" in a sentence?
Fortunately, the law had anticipated and made a provision for that case.
How do you pronounce "provision"?
Pronounced /pɹəˈvɪʒ.ən/.
Etymology
From Middle English provisioun, from Old French provisïon, from Latin prōvīsiō (“preparation, foresight”), from prōvidēre (“provide”).