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• provisional
  provisional

  adjective

  providing or serving for the time being only; existing only until permanently or properly replaced; temporary.
• Provisional
  Provisional

  adjective

  of, designating, or relating to the unofficial factions of the IRA and Sinn Féin that became increasingly dominant following a split in 1969. The Provisional movement remained committed to a policy of terrorism until its ceasefires of the mid-1990s

provisional

American  

[pruh-vizh-uh-nl] / prəˈvɪʒ ə nl /

adjective

1. providing or serving for the time being only; existing only until permanently or properly replaced; temporary.

   a provisional government.

   Synonyms:

   pro tempore, ad interim, stopgap, short-term, interim

2. accepted or adopted tentatively; conditional; contingent.

   Synonyms:

   probationary, dependent

3. (usually initial capital letter) of or being the wing of the Irish Republican Army that follows a policy of violence.

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noun

1. Philately. a stamp that serves temporarily, pending the appearance of the regular issue, or during a temporary shortage of the regular stamps.

2. a provisional member of a group.

3. Usually Provisional a member of the Provisional wing of the Irish Republican Army.

Provisional ¹ British  

/ prəˈvɪʒənəl /

adjective

1. of, designating, or relating to the unofficial factions of the IRA and Sinn Féin that became increasingly dominant following a split in 1969. The Provisional movement remained committed to a policy of terrorism until its ceasefires of the mid-1990s

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noun

1. Also called: Provo.  a member of the Provisional IRA or Sinn Féin

provisional ² British  

/ prəˈvɪʒənəl, prəˈvɪʒənərɪ /

adjective

1. subject to later alteration; temporary or conditional

   a provisional decision

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noun

1. a postage stamp surcharged during an emergency to alter the stamp's denomination or significance until a new or regular issue is printed

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• provisionality
  noun
• nonprovisionally
  adverb
• nonprovisionary
  adjective
• nonprovisional
  adjective
• provisionally
  adverb
• unprovisional
  adjective
• provisionalness
  noun

Etymology

Origin of provisional

First recorded in 1595–1605; provision + -al ¹

Explanation

Something provisional is temporary, in the sense that it's only valid for a while. You'll often hear provisional used to describe things such as governments, elections, contracts, and agreements, all of which can change into something permanent. People who go camping take provisions, which means supplies for the trip. This can be helpful when you're trying to use provisional properly. Remember that those provisions are, well, provisional—they're only supposed to last until the campers get home, where the real food is waiting. If you're in a rush to start filming, you might consider giving your star a provisional contract, so that you can at least get started. You'll have time to replace the provisional one with a permanent one while you film.

Example Sentences

Just weeks ago, EU negotiators said they reached a provisional deal to remove some tariffs on U.S. imports as part of the bloc’s trade deal signed last summer.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 3, 2026

If you didn’t bring your mailed ballot, some counties will require you to vote using a provisional ballot that will be counted once elections officials check that you are eligible.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 1, 2026

Wales also broke May records for the second consecutive day, as provisional temperatures reached 32.3C at Cardiff's Bute Park, surpassing Monday's 32.2C at Hawarden Airport in Flintshire.

From BBC • May 26, 2026

Kew Gardens in south-west London recorded a provisional temperature of 35.1C, beating Monday's 34.8C record-high in the same place.

From BBC • May 26, 2026

“Ma’am, I am a member of the Council. Well, a provisional member. An Elder-in Training.”

From "The Girl Who Drank the Moon" by Kelly Barnhill

Related Words

• conditional
• interim
• temporary
• transitional