as in improvised
to perform, make, or do without preparation
had to ad-lib constructing a piñata because she'd never actually seen it being done
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ad-libbed
Verb
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He was joined on stage by his wife, Alexis Roderick, and introduced two young daughters, Della and Remy, who improvised dance routines throughout the crowd-rousing 12-minute cameo.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
3 Jan. 2026 -
Linklater used Dazed and Confused to continue developing his signature style — as seen in his first feature, Slacker (1990) — for making naturalistic movies crammed with contemporary dialogue, some of which was improvised by his cast.—
Lia Beck,
Entertainment Weekly,
30 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Prosecutors say Brendan Banfield concocted an elaborate scheme to kill his wife, Christine Banfield, and another man, Joseph Ryan, in their family home in February 2023.—
Lauren del Valle,
CNN Money,
23 Jan. 2026
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But for his first contribution to the network in 2026, The Beauty, he and co-creator Matthew Hodgson have concocted a genre-hopping oddity that sounds even less likely to work.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
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New uses are continually being devised.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
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With no worthy opponents left, Baki and the underground fighters grow restless — until a plan is devised to resurrect Miyamoto Musashi, Japan’s greatest swordsman.—
Patrick Brzeski,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Ad-libbed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ad-libbed. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
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