ad hoc

1 of 2

adverb

ˈad-ˈhäk

-ˈhōk

ˈäd-ˈhōk

Synonyms of ad hoc next

: for the particular end or case at hand without consideration of wider application

The decisions were made ad hoc.

ad hoc

2 of 2

adjective

: concerned with a particular end or purpose

an ad hoc investigating committee

: formed or used for specific or immediate problems or needs

ad hoc solutions

: fashioned from whatever is immediately available : improvised

large ad hoc parades and demonstrations—

Nat Hentoff

Did you know?

In Latin ad hoc literally means "for this," and in English it describes anything that can be thought of as existing "for this purpose only." For example, an ad hoc committee is generally authorized to look into a single matter of limited scope, not to pursue any issue of interest. Ad hoc can also be used as an adverb meaning "for the particular end or case at hand without consideration of wider application," as in "decisions were made ad hoc."

Did you know?

Using Ad Hoc

Ad hoc literally means "for this" in Latin, and in English this almost always means "for this specific purpose." Issues that come up in the course of a project often require immediate, ad hoc solutions. An ad hoc investigating committee is authorized to look into a matter of limited scope. An ad hoc ruling by an athletic council is intended to settle a particular case, and is not meant to serve as a model for later rulings. If an organization deals with too many things on an ad hoc basis, it may mean someone hasn't been doing enough planning.

Example Sentences

Adjective The mayor appointed an ad hoc committee to study the project. We had to make some ad hoc changes to the plans. We'll hire more staff on an ad hoc basis.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The Sardines, an ad hoc band led by music director Kurt Cowling on keyboards and featuring singer Leah Gawel, play music originally performed and mostly composed by '90s lounge revivalists Combustible Edison. —

Jim Higgins, Journal Sentinel, 18 Mar. 2023 Ukraine has also called for the creation of a special United Nations tribunal, akin to ad hoc bodies set up to address war crimes in the former Yugoslavia and elsewhere. —

Laura King, Los Angeles Times, 16 Mar. 2023 The council appointed Mayor Dane White and Deputy Mayor Joe Garcia to an ad hoc subcommittee on homelessness. —

Laura Groch, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Mar. 2023 Petryk runs communications at MacPaw and is a cofounder of the Ukrainian PR Army, an ad hoc group of Ukrainian PR and marketing professionals trying to combat Russian propaganda by sending out pro-Ukranian missives to journalists and governments. —

Lauren Goode, WIRED, 25 Feb. 2023 And that bill continued to grow as the regime of ad hoc restrictions continued into late 2022, long past when most of the rest of the world had learned to live with the virus. —

Christian Shepherd, Washington Post, 15 Feb. 2023 Membership also includes access to virtual workshops, podcasts, and GrowthMentor’s community Slack channel, and ad hoc in-person events hosted in 14 cities globally. —

Paolo Confino, Fortune, 30 Jan. 2023 But this ad hoc approach raises questions of equity. —

Jenny Vrentas, New York Times, 29 Jan. 2023 The Concerned Citizens of NY-03 describes itself as an ad hoc, nonpartisan group of residents who want Santos out of office. —

Alexandra Hutzler, ABC News, 17 Jan. 2023 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'ad hoc.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.