as in impromptu
made or done without previous thought or preparation
not bad for an ad-lib comedy routine
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in improvisation
something that is performed, made, or done without preparation
you would never suspect that that stirring speech was an ad-lib
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to improvise
to perform, make, or do without preparation
had to ad-lib constructing a piñata because she'd never actually seen it being done
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ad-lib
Sabrina Park, Harper's BAZAAR, 15 Mar. 2023
Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 11 Feb. 2026
The ad-lib dramatically changed the scene from how Trier and Vogt had written it.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 5 Jan. 2026
Puzzled, Aggie climbs the stairs and — as Nile continues to ad-lib — finds Teddy, dead, suffocated with a bag, in Cooper’s room, which is decked out to match the live feed.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 14 Nov. 2025
Recently, Chance The Rapper told DJ Bootleg Kev about Mac playing a vital role in one of his most famous ad-libs, noting that the moment occurred during an LA recording session with Chuck Inglish.
—Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 24 Oct. 2025
Urban often ad-libs comments when performing the song live.
—Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 2 Oct. 2025
Between the ad-libs to start the cut and rapping over drill 808s mixed with Jersey club, Cardi appears to be taking a page out of the Ice Spice playbook.
—Michael Saponara, Billboard, 24 Sep. 2025
Being able to ad-lib was such a steep learning curve for me.
—Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 6 Apr. 2025
Adjective
At the same time, more ad-lib moments are often expected onstage, bound to keep viewers on the edge of their seats.
—Sabrina Park, Harper's BAZAAR, 15 Mar. 2023
Verb
They were encouraged to ad-lib in character as Guest collected more than 60 hours of footage before taking a year to whittle it down to 84 minutes.
—Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 11 Feb. 2026
The ad-lib dramatically changed the scene from how Trier and Vogt had written it.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 5 Jan. 2026
Puzzled, Aggie climbs the stairs and — as Nile continues to ad-lib — finds Teddy, dead, suffocated with a bag, in Cooper’s room, which is decked out to match the live feed.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 14 Nov. 2025
Recently, Chance The Rapper told DJ Bootleg Kev about Mac playing a vital role in one of his most famous ad-libs, noting that the moment occurred during an LA recording session with Chuck Inglish.
—Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 24 Oct. 2025
Urban often ad-libs comments when performing the song live.
—Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 2 Oct. 2025
Between the ad-libs to start the cut and rapping over drill 808s mixed with Jersey club, Cardi appears to be taking a page out of the Ice Spice playbook.
—Michael Saponara, Billboard, 24 Sep. 2025
Being able to ad-lib was such a steep learning curve for me.
—Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 6 Apr. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ad-lib
Adjective
-
Belfer, a single father to 5-year-old Henri and a goldendoodle named Grover, also messages the group to arrange impromptu playdates for his son.—
Sara Lieberman,
Curbed,
4 Mar. 2026
-
With her Electrical Box Theatre, situated across from the historic American Hotel and sausage restaurant and bar Wurstküche, Mero set out to create an impromptu performance space for the sort of experimental artists who no longer have an outlet in downtown’s galleries or more refined stages.—
Todd Martens,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
There’s no room for improvisation.—
Francesca Street,
CNN Money,
2 Mar. 2026
-
Finch’s offensive system demands unselfishness and improvisation.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
In the meantime, the family improvised.—
Ryan Brennan,
Charlotte Observer,
6 Mar. 2026
-
Expecting a population raised under monarchs and mullahs to improvise a constitutional republic on short notice may be less strategy and more wishful thinking.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
4 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Trump, as personalist and improvisational as Mohammed bin Salman, has no interest in resolving that identity crisis.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
2 Mar. 2026
-
Smith’s extensive rehab involving a string of self-defense, zen and other disability workshops, however, morphed into classes studying improvisational wheelchair movement.—
Mercury News,
Mercury News,
28 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Surely, the administration should be able to devise a plan for potential political change in Iran.—
Gregory F. Treverton,
The Conversation,
3 Mar. 2026
-
Fourth, Politico then shifted to the latest ploy that officials across the current administration are scrambling to devise any legal strategy available to keep money the Supreme Court has explicitly said was illegally collected.—
Mark Pirie,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
That reaction — genuine, visceral enjoyment from someone who evaluates food professionally — is about as strong an endorsement as an improvised pita sandwich can get.—
Ryan Brennan,
Kansas City Star,
4 Mar. 2026
-
And four years after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, a look at the many obstacles to peace and how Ukraine has pioneered a scrappy, improvised way of fighting, built around inexpensive drones.—
February 26,
NPR,
26 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Gyllenhaal, who also wrote her film, has corrected the imbalance, refashioning the story from the Bride’s perspective and concocting a protagonist of unfiltered feminist fury.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 Mar. 2026
-
Arias and her mother concocted the treat to resemble a large pink cupcake with sprinkles.—
Patricia Gallagher Newberry,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
28 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The future, instead, seems to belong to the teams and coaches who are willing to be a little more flexible and see their role as providing a platform on which their players might extemporize.—
Rory Smith,
New York Times,
3 Mar. 2023
-
Friends said he was talented and could extemporize about anything.—
Jacques Kelly,
Baltimore Sun,
24 Jan. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Ad-lib.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ad-lib. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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