improvident

[im-prov-i-duhnt]

adjective

1. not provident; lacking foresight; incautious; unwary.

   Synonyms: heedless, imprudent, careless, thoughtless
   Antonyms: prudent

2. neglecting to provide for future needs.

   Synonyms: prodigal, wasteful, unthrifty, thriftless, shiftless
   Antonyms: economical

improvident

/ ɪmˈprɒvɪdənt /

adjective

1. not provident; thriftless, imprudent, or prodigal

2. heedless or incautious; rash

Other Word Forms

• improvidence noun
• improvidently adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of improvident¹

First recorded in 1505–15; im- ² + provident

Example Sentences

She did quit her job to take care of him, but they were improvident and did not buy long-term care insurance.

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“The arbitration clause is improvident because the arbitration process requires US$14,500 in up-front administrative fees,” the top court said.

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In one heat, a driver made an improvident move and three cars collided, one flipping on its side.

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It opines at length about the benefits if “children of improvident parents starve to death.”

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Doing so would be an extreme and, realistically, improvident move, risking chaos and swings on the Court for decades to come, which may be why Trump likes talking about it.

Read more on The New Yorker