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Impromptu most often describes things, such as speeches or gatherings, that are not prepared ahead of time but that instead happen spontaneously. An impromptu concert or photoshoot, for example, is conceived and executed in the moment. Impromptu was borrowed—spelling, meaning, and all—from French in the mid-18th century. The French had gotten the word from Latin, from the phrase in promptu, meaning “in readiness.” But the presence of prompt in there is no coincidence: both impromptu and prompt are ultimately derived from the Latin promere, meaning “to bring forth, take out.”
Examples of impromptu in a Sentence
Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 23 Jan. 2026
Their seemingly impromptu duets on live TV are about as sweet as anything in the doc, and there’s plenty of warmth to curl up with.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 22 Jan. 2026
Come for just an evening show, or stay longer on the campgrounds for a chance to catch an impromptu fireside jam session.
—Mars Salazar, Austin American Statesman, 21 Jan. 2026
With both Erik Spoelstra and Kel’el Ware having offered their thoughts on Spoelstra’s impromptu criticism of Ware last week, the fundamental element of the incident has not change, namely Ware’s lacking of playing time.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 17 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for impromptu
Cite this Entry
“Impromptu.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/impromptu. Accessed 28 Jan. 2026.
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