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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

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

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

See Examples For:

provisional Provisional

In a bid to focus entirely on its burgeoning defense business, the company in June agreed to sell its automotive business to Munich-based industrial group Aequita for a provisional price of 350 million euros.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026

Voters without ID can cast a provisional ballot if they face a “reasonable impediment” to getting the required documents.

From Slate ● Jul. 23, 2026

Users must have a full or provisional driving licence, and they must not ride on the pavement.

From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026

Longo and Maura Fanti are also inventors on a U.S. provisional patent application covering aspects of the methods and findings described in the study.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 10, 2026

He still isn’t telling, and I am reassured: despite his changed facade, his thinning hair and provisional suit, he is still the same person underneath.

From "Cat's Eye" by Margaret Atwood

Provisional purchasing managers’ surveys for the U.S., eurozone and the U.K. will provide a snapshot of business-sector activity during July just as military conflict in the Middle East has resumed, pulling oil prices higher.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026

Dissident republicanism is made up of various groups which broke away from the Provisional IRA, including the Continuity IRA and New IRA.

From BBC ● Apr. 28, 2026

Provisional purchasing managers’ surveys for March in the U.S. and Europe in the week will provide a key gauge of how the ongoing war in the Middle East has impacted sentiment and business activity.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 20, 2026

"Provisional application is, by its nature, provisional," she added, saying: "The agreement can only be fully concluded once the European Parliament has given its consent."

From Barron's ● Feb. 27, 2026

“In the midst of the resulting chaos, turmoil, and disorder,” Yutar proclaimed, “it was planned by the accused to set up a Provisional Revolutionary Government to take over the administration and control of the country.”

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

Related Words

• conditional
• interim
• temporary
• transitional