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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 /

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

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Etymology

Origin of provisional

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

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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

Eurozone provisional inflation data for October due on Wednesday will be the most closely-watched eurozone indicator of the week.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2026

You can request a provisional ballot at any polling place in the county in which you are registered to vote.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 29, 2026

Also attracting attention will be provisional eurozone gross domestic product data for the third quarter plus provisional October inflation data from individual eurozone countries, including France and Germany, on Friday.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 23, 2026

Last February, the two sides reached a provisional agreement aimed at reducing US tariffs on Indian products.

From Barron's ● Oct. 17, 2026

“That there’s going to be no transition at all? No interim period for—I don’t know—a provisional government-in-training? Just wham, the Belgians are gone and the Congolese have to run everything on their own?”

From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver

The first round of presidential and legislative elections has now been set for July 18, 2027, the country's Provisional Electoral Council said Wednesday evening.

From Barron's ● Oct. 29, 2026

Provisional purchasing managers’ indexes for October are due on Friday and will give an indication on how activity in the services and manufacturing sectors are holding up.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026

European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen on Friday hailed the start of the deal's implementation, stating on X: "Provisional application will show the agreement’s tangible benefits."

From Barron's ● May 1, 2026

The Provisional IRA - the main armed republican paramilitary group for most of the Troubles - declared a ceasefire in the run up to the agreement and officially ended its violent campaign in 2005.

From BBC ● Apr. 1, 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

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Related Words

• conditional
• interim
• temporary
• transitional

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