improvident
Americanadjective
-
not provident; lacking foresight; incautious; unwary.
- Synonyms:
- heedless, imprudent, careless, thoughtless
- Antonyms:
- prudent
-
neglecting to provide for future needs.
- Synonyms:
- prodigal, wasteful, unthrifty, thriftless, shiftless
- Antonyms:
- economical
adjective
-
not provident; thriftless, imprudent, or prodigal
-
heedless or incautious; rash
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of improvident
Explanation
Someone who is improvident doesn't worry about the future — or plan wisely for it. If you spend all your money on video games even though you know you have to buy your mom a birthday present next week, you have made an improvident decision. In the adjective improvident, the prefix im- means "opposite" or "not." Provident comes from the Latin word providere, meaning "foresee, provide." Put that together and you get something that lacks foresight and consideration for the future, like an improvident town council that spends the whole budget on playground equipment, leaving nothing to cover the inevitable repairs to fire trucks or public restrooms.
Vocabulary lists containing improvident
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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Things Fall Apart
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A Streetcar Named Desire
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Improvident, im-prov′i-dent, adj. not provident or prudent: wanting foresight: thoughtless.—adj.
From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 2 of 4: E-M) by Various
Improvident, too; for only by long and exclusive service could she hope that in her old age she would not be cast out on the parish.
From And Even Now by Beerbohm, Max, Sir
Improvident soldiers! had your watch been good, This sudden mischief never could have fall'n.
From King Henry VI, Part 1 by Shakespeare, William
You tramp of insects, vagrant and unheeding, Improvident, who of the summer make One long green mealtime, and for winter take No care, aye singing or just merely feeding!
From Kentucky Poems by Cawein, Madison J.
When prosperity comes to an end, and they are paid off, they rely upon chance and providence—the providence of the Improvident!
From Thrift by Smiles, Samuel
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
