as in improvising
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-libbing
Verb
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That turn of phrase, which gives both the band’s eighth album and lead track its title, This Mirror Weighs a Ton, frankly doesn’t make a whole lot of sense, and that’s sort of the point since Banks came up with it while improvising the melodies and vocals simultaneously.—
Kory Grow,
Rolling Stone,
9 June 2026 -
No two film or TV shoots are alike, as each director and team of department heads have to find their own unique rhythm that falls somewhere on a spectrum between meticulous storyboarding and completely improvising on set.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
6 June 2026
Verb
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States are getting creative in devising how the money will be collected either through taxation or voluntary donations by state residents.—
Noël Fletcher,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
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Working with industry qubits Imec’s genius is not in devising a new kind of qubit but in using one that’s the easiest to scale.—
Ameya Paleja,
Interesting Engineering,
26 May 2026
Verb
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And she’s spent a decade scaling her brand into an industry disrupter; Ellsworth began concocting prebiotic drinks in 2015, founding her business just one year later.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
11 May 2026
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According to the report, workers illegally pocketed between $20,000 and more than $41,000 in Paycheck Protection Program loans from a massive federal COVID-19 pandemic relief effort – some by concocting companies that didn't exist to pocket federal assistance funds.—
Chris Tye,
CBS News,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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After learning their rent is being raised, the pair embark on a reckless night out that inspires an impulsive idea of faking a movie and seeing who shows up.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
9 June 2026
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By faking these extravagant experiences as part of the experiment, these influencers successfully get sponsorship deals, book influencer trips, and fool their many, many followers.—
Marina Watts,
Entertainment Weekly,
9 June 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Ad-libbing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ad-libbing. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.
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