as in impromptu
made or done without previous thought or preparation
caught by surprise, I had to make an extemporaneous speech at the awards banquet
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of extemporaneous
The extemporaneous talk included Biblical references and warm shoutouts to locals in the audience.
—
CBS News,
5 Feb. 2026
After his turn, English let out a sigh, exhausted by all the extemporaneous scribing.
—
Dan Greene,
New Yorker,
26 Jan. 2026
Where the ponderous fire-roads invited a slow, deliberate pace to space our kidneys, the combination of hilly terrain and a slick surface demanded a more extemporaneous approach to conserving momentum.
—
Byron Hurd,
The Drive,
22 Jan. 2026
In 1962, Tillie Olsen gave a largely extemporaneous talk at Harvard’s Radcliffe Institute.
—
Literary Hub,
15 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for extemporaneous
CBS News,
5 Feb. 2026
After his turn, English let out a sigh, exhausted by all the extemporaneous scribing.
—
Dan Greene,
New Yorker,
26 Jan. 2026
Where the ponderous fire-roads invited a slow, deliberate pace to space our kidneys, the combination of hilly terrain and a slick surface demanded a more extemporaneous approach to conserving momentum.
—
Byron Hurd,
The Drive,
22 Jan. 2026
In 1962, Tillie Olsen gave a largely extemporaneous talk at Harvard’s Radcliffe Institute.
—
Literary Hub,
15 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for extemporaneous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for extemporaneous
Adjective
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Arepas and coffee anchor impromptu support circles, as grieving customers cling to fragile hope for the missing.
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An impromptu blind date with a handsome rapist ends with Esther punching him square in the nose, his blood gushing through her fingers.
Adjective
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Leigh is known for making films in a collaborative, improvisational process with his performers and has stayed close with O’Flynn through the years.
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The 34th annual edition of this popular festival, which focuses on improvisational, funk, roots and various styles of jam band music, takes place at the Nevada County Fairgrounds in Grass Valley.
Adjective
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Across La Guaira, the coastal state hardest-hit by the disaster, and in parts of Caracas, thousands of residents are spending nights outdoors in plazas, parks, sports courts and improvised encampments, sleeping on mattresses, blankets and folding chairs.
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Eventually, the rewrite and actors workshop rehearsal combined — a two-week period in which Jones, McCormick, Wilde, Rogen, Cruz, and Norton acted out, improvised scenes, and, most importantly, talked about characters.
Cite this Entry
“Extemporaneous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/extemporaneous. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.
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