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ad-lib 1 of 3

adjective

Definition of ad-libnext
as in impromptu
made or done without previous thought or preparation not bad for an ad-lib comedy routine

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

ad-lib

2 of 3

noun

as in improvisation
something that is performed, made, or done without preparation you would never suspect that that stirring speech was an ad-lib

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

ad-lib

3 of 3

verb

ˈad-ˈlib How to pronounce ad-lib (audio)
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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of ad-lib
Adjective
Ritchie’s process Multiple Gentlemen cast members have talked about Ritchie’s on-set process, which often calls on actors to learn new versions of scripts in the moment, or ad-lib to improve a scene. — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 3 Sep. 2026 But that moment, that is an ad-lib because the line was [supposed to be] very calm. — Mikey O'Connell, HollywoodReporter, 13 Aug. 2026
Verb
As seen in a video clip uploaded to the official Oscars YouTube channel, his ad-lib received applause from the audience in the room, but the Academy ultimately excluded the Chicago actor from presenting at the ceremony for several years. — Christopher Rudolph, PEOPLE, 6 Dec. 2025 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 See All Example Sentences for ad-lib
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ad-lib
  1. impromptu
  2. improvisation
  3. improvise
  4. improvisational
  5. devise
  6. improvised
  7. concoct
  8. extemporize
Adjective
  • There is always an excuse for an impromptu barbecue, either with meat or, even better, fresh seafood; almost every group of friends here has at least one good fisherman.
    — Chadner Navarro, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Sep. 2026
  • These impromptu scrapes have no communication value — unlike community scrapes.
    — Josh Honeycutt, Outdoor Life, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of impromptu
Noun
  • This improvisation of last-minute hope was truly heartbreaking.
    — Kurt Loder, Rolling Stone, 11 Sep. 2026
  • The tiebreak saw them trade mistakes, punctuated by a jaw-dropping point of lunging, acrobatic improvisation that Shelton won with a deft lob that sent Alcaraz sliding with his back to the net.
    — Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of improvisation
Verb
  • Because the therapy is off-label, insurance routinely denies coverage, forcing clinicians and patients to improvise — a frustration that Dombo experienced firsthand.
    — Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 19 Sep. 2026
  • The family and courts then improvised around evidentiary power that nobody had planned for.
    — Jihun Joun, The Conversation, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of improvise
Adjective
  • The 28-year-old QB has succeeded when supported by consistent line play, yet also boasts improvisational skills that set him apart from many NFL starters.
    — Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Sep. 2026
  • Tsepetis’s improvisational approach to hospitality creates a home-away-from-home warmth that keeps many of his guests returning, year after year.
    — Noo Saro-Wiwa, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of improvisational
Verb
  • Longer messages mean slower communication, so people who study error-correcting codes devise more elaborate schemes to minimize the redundancy in the transmissions while maximizing the number of errors that can be corrected.
    — Jack Murtagh, Scientific American, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Abrams’ shaggy appeal as the everyman hero who somehow manages to overcome every obstacle thrown in his way, including the most monstrous creatures Cregger and his talented creative team could devise, is a key factor in the film’s success.
    — Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of devise
Adjective
  • With no clear guidance, haphazard and improvised efforts by companies to clean the homes left 6 in 10 residences still unsafe.
    — Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2026
  • As Yusuf helps Abu Khalil with his historical reenactment and builds his public profile through social media, the three become an improvised family.
    — Ed Meza, Variety, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of improvised
Verb
  • Martha’s concocted plenty over the years, including her cider-bourbon cocktail made with apple cider, bourbon, lemon juice, ginger, and apple garnishes.
    — Wendy Rose Gould, Martha Stewart, 16 Sep. 2026
  • The young lady had specially flown in from New York and Alan had concocted a piece of simple blackmail.
    — Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of concoct
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
Definition of extemporize

Browse Nearby Words

adjuvant
ad-lib
ad-libbed
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Cite this Entry

“Ad-lib.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ad-lib. Accessed 22 Sep. 2026.

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