1
as in interim
intended to last, continue, or serve for a limited time
will form a provisional government until a new leader can be elected
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2
as in temporary
serving in a position for the time being
he was appointed provisional executor of the industrialist's vast estate
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Recent Examples of provisional
Since launching in 2006, the IASC has made thousands of provisional asteroid discoveries, dozens of which have been numbered and placed in the world's official minor bodies catalog maintained by the International Astronomical Union.
—
George Monastiriakos, Newsweek, 30 Dec. 2024
Rally Scoring: the committee approved it for provisional use (especially in singles) but the board overruled them and put it on hold.
—Todd Boss, Forbes, 26 Dec. 2024
The new rules implemented at the beginning of 2024 were less impactful to the everyday/non-tournament player, but did include a couple of provisional items related to rally scoring and skinny singles, methods of playing that were officially recognized for the first time.
—Todd Boss, Forbes, 26 Dec. 2024
Believing in things is coming to seem a provisional affair.
—Glenn Adamson, ARTnews.com, 16 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for provisional 
George Monastiriakos, Newsweek, 30 Dec. 2024
Rally Scoring: the committee approved it for provisional use (especially in singles) but the board overruled them and put it on hold.
—Todd Boss, Forbes, 26 Dec. 2024
The new rules implemented at the beginning of 2024 were less impactful to the everyday/non-tournament player, but did include a couple of provisional items related to rally scoring and skinny singles, methods of playing that were officially recognized for the first time.
—Todd Boss, Forbes, 26 Dec. 2024
Believing in things is coming to seem a provisional affair.
—Glenn Adamson, ARTnews.com, 16 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for provisional
Thesaurus Entries Near provisional
Cite this Entry
“Provisional.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/provisional. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.
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