Word
provisionally
Phoneticspro·vi·sion·al·ly
US/pɹəˈvɪʒənəɫi/
UK/pɹəvˈɪʒənəli/
Definition
adv. for a short time or until a final decision is made. You use this when something is not yet certain but is allowed for now.
adv. on a temporary or tentative basis; subject to change or confirmation. Often used to describe a status or arrangement that is not yet final.
Examples
“The team is provisionally scheduled to play on Saturday.”
“The committee provisionally approved the new budget, but they will review the figures again next month.”
“While the candidate was provisionally selected for the role, the final offer remains contingent upon the successful completion of a background check and a medical examination.”
Examples
simple
“The team is provisionally scheduled to play on Saturday.”
contextual
“The committee provisionally approved the new budget, but they will review the figures again next month.”
complex
“While the candidate was provisionally selected for the role, the final offer remains contingent upon the successful completion of a background check and a medical examination.”
Real-World Examples
“This provisionally sets a new record for the number of days in a calendar year with temperatures of 37C or above.” “Nearly a third of the extra funding provisionally approved for 13 water companies in England and Wales is earmarked for making sure water services are maintained.” “Both England and Wales provisionally recorded their driest July on record.” Etymology
From provisional + -ly.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/provisionally