Provision — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb /prə-ˈvi-zhən/ pro·vi·sion

Meaning & Definition of Provision

Provision (noun)

  1. the act or process of providing
  2. the fact or state of being prepared beforehand
  3. a measure taken beforehand to deal with a need or contingency, preparation

Provision (verb)

  1. to supply with needed materials (such as food), to supply with provisions

Provision (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. something upon which the carrying out of an agreement or offer depends

    "loaned them the car with the provision that they refill the gas tank before returning it"

    similar: condition, contingency, if, proviso, qualification, reservation, stipulation
    related: strings, terms, precondition, prerequisite, requirement, requisite, limitation, modification, restriction, exception, exemption, demand, essential, must, necessity, need

  2. substances intended to be eaten

    "gave them ample provisions so they would not get hungry on the trip"

    similar: bread, chow, chuck (chiefly West), comestibles, eatables, eats, edibles, fare, food, foodstuffs, grub, meat, provender, table, tucker (chiefly Australian), viands, victuals, vittles
    related: commissary, rations, supplies, aliment, nutriment, diet, nourishment, nurture, sustenance, mess, pap, ensilage, feed, fodder, forage, silage, slop, swill, feast, meal, refreshments, regale, repast, spread, board, dish, plate, platter, serving, finger food, natural food
    near: bane, poison, toxin, venom

Provision (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to provide (someone) with what is needed for a task or activity

    "the climbers were sufficiently provisioned to withstand just about any mountaineering emergency"

    similar: accoutre, equip, fit (out), furnish, gird, kit (up or out) (chiefly British), outfit, rig, supply
    related: stock, store, bestow, contribute, donate, give, present, apportion, deal (out), dispense, distribute, dole out, hand out, mete (out), parcel (out), portion, prorate, allocate, allot, assign, arm, fortify, prepare, reequip, refit, refurnish, reoutfit
    near: deprive, dispossess, divest, strip

  2. to provide food or meals for

    "it was the quartermaster's job to properly equip and provision the troops"

    similar: board, cater, feed, victual
    related: serve, wait, nourish, nurture, sustain, banquet, dine, feast, regale, mess, batten, fatten, fill, force-feed, overfeed, surfeit, underfeed, hand-feed, spoon-feed, refeed, reprovision

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Provision

The most common words with a similar meaning to Provision:

Chiefly West: chuck
Chiefly Australian: tucker
Chiefly British: kit (up or out)
condition, contingency, if, proviso, qualification, reservation, stipulation, bread, chow, comestibles, eatables, eats, edibles, fare, food, foodstuffs, grub, meat, provender, table, viands, victuals, vittles, accoutre, equip, fit (out), furnish, gird, outfit, rig, supply, board, cater, feed, victual

Related Words for Provision

strings, terms, precondition, prerequisite, requirement, requisite, limitation, modification, restriction, exception, exemption, demand, essential, must, necessity, need, commissary, rations, supplies, aliment, nutriment, diet, nourishment, nurture, sustenance, mess, pap, ensilage, fodder, forage

Near Antonyms of Provision

bane, poison, toxin, venom, deprive, dispossess, divest, strip

Word Forms of Provision

Inflections: provisioned, provisioning

Origin & Etymology of Provision

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin & Latin; Late Latin provision-, provisio act of providing, from Latin, foresight, from providēre to see ahead provide

First known use: 14th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Provision

Frequently Asked Questions about Provision

What does "Provision" mean?

"Provision" means the act or process of providing. As an a noun and a verb, it is defined as: the act or process of providing. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Provision"?

Other words for "Provision" include condition, contingency, if, proviso, qualification, reservation, stipulation and bread. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Provision" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Provision"?

There are 127 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Provision". Common alternatives include condition, contingency, if, proviso, qualification, reservation, stipulation, bread, chow and chuck.

How do you use "Provision" in a sentence?

Examples of "Provision" in a sentence: "loaned them the car with the provision that they refill the gas tank before returning it"; "gave them ample provisions so they would not get hungry on the trip"; "the climbers were sufficiently provisioned to withstand just about any mountaineering emergency".

Is "Provision" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Provision" can be used as a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

Is "Provision" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C1-level word, "Provision" is typical of Cambridge C1 Advanced (CAE), IELTS band 7.0–8.0, TOEFL iBT 95–113, PTE Academic 76–84, TOEIC Listening & Reading 945+. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Provision"?

"Provision" is pronounced /prə-ˈvi-zhən/ and divided into syllables as pro·vi·sion.

What is the origin of the word "Provision"?

"Provision" comes from Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin & Latin; Late Latin provision-, provisio act of providing, from Latin, foresight, from providēre to see ahead provide. First known use: 14th century.