1
as in carelessness
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2
as in liberality
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Recent Examples of improvidence
Two key factors in the SVB disaster can’t be overlooked: The incompetence of the bank’s management and the improvidence of its customers.
—
Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2023
Christina Stead gives an unflinching portrait of her own childhood, dominated by improvidence, quarrels and violence—and a crazed, buccaneering idealist of a father who both adores and exploits his ever-increasing brood of children.
—Marina Warner, WSJ, 19 Aug. 2022
Some of them cheered for the development of natural resources, and some of them expressed dismay over the waste, improvidence, and disruption that progress unleashed.
—Patty Limerick, The Denver Post, 14 Feb. 2020
In the most spectacular example of improvidence, 54-year-old Larraine blows an entire month’s worth of food stamps on a single meal of lobster tails, shrimp, crab and lemon meringue pie, washed down with Pepsi.
—Barbara Ehrenreich, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2016
Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2023
Christina Stead gives an unflinching portrait of her own childhood, dominated by improvidence, quarrels and violence—and a crazed, buccaneering idealist of a father who both adores and exploits his ever-increasing brood of children.
—Marina Warner, WSJ, 19 Aug. 2022
Some of them cheered for the development of natural resources, and some of them expressed dismay over the waste, improvidence, and disruption that progress unleashed.
—Patty Limerick, The Denver Post, 14 Feb. 2020
In the most spectacular example of improvidence, 54-year-old Larraine blows an entire month’s worth of food stamps on a single meal of lobster tails, shrimp, crab and lemon meringue pie, washed down with Pepsi.
—Barbara Ehrenreich, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2016
Recent Examples of Synonyms for improvidence
Noun
-
The officials’ performance reflected carelessness in the process.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Kerry Doyle, the former top ICE attorney during the Biden administration, said Mazzara’s comments show a shocking carelessness about the potential for harm against both the general public and the officers he was employed to protect.—
Andrea Castillo,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Mackenzie had earned a reputation for piety, patriotism, lack of humor and liberality with the lash.—
Gerard Helferich,
WSJ,
10 Nov. 2023
-
All the states Lauck writes about benefited from the liberality of the Northwest Ordinance of 1787.—
Phil Christman,
The New Republic,
22 Feb. 2023
Noun
-
The heedlessness of the children has touched her mood.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
This is the sort of managerial aimlessness the Post is being governed by, just one example of the missteps and squandering of opportunity framed as strategy.—
Sally Jenkins,
The Atlantic,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Kiké Hernández followed with a flyout to complete the squandering.—
Fabian Ardaya,
New York Times,
4 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The best prevention for myopia is not an app or a screen filter.—
John La Puma,
Oc Register,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Quelling ‘Hormuz myopia’ To be sure, there are also key differences between today and the 1970s that may prevent a repeat of that era’s crisis.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
2 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Creative self-expression and generosity of spirit are themes as the moon harmonizes with Jupiter!—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2026
-
His generosity was shown on ABC 7 Chicago this past December.—
Darcel Rockett,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
But the chaos and imprudence of Trump’s misguided and mismanaged tariffs have roiled the markets and fueled talk of a recession.—
S.E. Cupp,
New York Daily News,
12 Mar. 2025
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But the apparent imprudence of such a ploy didn’t stop Murphy, Davidson, or Regan, who would go on to challenge the N.H.L. and N.F.L., two other powerhouse leagues that had been around since the 1920s.—
airmail.news,
airmail.news,
31 Aug. 2024
Noun
-
Amid such a tumult of exertion and indulgence, the art of directing may seem like an afterthought or a footnote to the sheer volume of creative work that occurs even when the camera isn’t rolling.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
-
The MorphoScan’s measurements ebbed and flowed from day to day as expected, with my weight dropping the day after a cardio workout and increasing after a weekend of indulgence.—
Andrew Gebhart,
PC Magazine,
5 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Improvidence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/improvidence. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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