as in impromptu
made or done without previous thought or preparation
not bad for an ad-lib comedy routine
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ad-lib
Sabrina Park, Harper's BAZAAR, 15 Mar. 2023
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
During their jam session with Bad Bunny, the group was able to ad-lib an element unique to their hometown: the tale of Jacinto, a farmer who is dragged by his cow into a ocean blowhole, famously known as Jacinto’s pit cave.
—Andrea Flores, Los Angeles Times, 18 Jan. 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
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
During their jam session with Bad Bunny, the group was able to ad-lib an element unique to their hometown: the tale of Jacinto, a farmer who is dragged by his cow into a ocean blowhole, famously known as Jacinto’s pit cave.
—Andrea Flores, Los Angeles Times, 18 Jan. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ad-lib
Adjective
-
But such impromptu races weren’t unknown at the time.—
Don Sweeney,
Sacbee.com,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Some stood on large metal dumpsters that blocked all traffic, banging on them, while others gave speeches at the growing impromptu memorial for Pretti, who was a 37-year-old ICU nurse at a VA hospital.—
Jack Brook,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
My life is more of an improvisation.—
Kate Hogan,
PEOPLE,
29 Jan. 2026
-
In that way that great gumbo can't be made by strictly following recipes alone nor can great jazz follow a script, planning suddenly felt out of place in a city built on improvisation.—
Sophie Morgan,
Condé Nast Traveler,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Was For Your Consideration also improvised?—
E. Alex Jung,
Vulture,
30 Jan. 2026
-
This reflects conscientiousness, or the tendency to plan, organize and execute systematically versus improvising and adapting in real time.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Worse, perhaps, leadership in moments of upheaval requires a certain theatricality and improvisational creativity that establishment Republican politicians tend to lack.—
Walter Russell Mead,
The Atlantic,
24 Jan. 2026
-
The bigger concern is the improvisational contributions from Nix — big scrambles, off-platform throws, odd-angle deliveries — have been a significant part of an offense that has struggled at times to hang its hat on anything else consistently.—
Nick Kosmider,
New York Times,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
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So that problematic defense has come around, thanks to whatever Mike Brown, his coaching staff and the players have devised or re-emphasized together.—
Zach Harper,
New York Times,
2 Feb. 2026
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As the child incessantly cries day and night, Henry begins to have surreal visions that only an innovative mind like Lynch's could devise.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
31 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana seeks to preserve that heritage, capturing the raw intensity and intimate, improvised interplay of the performers in Tablao Flamenco, coming to Dallas as part of the TITAS/Dance Unbound series.—
Manuel Mendoza,
Dallas Morning News,
29 Jan. 2026
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Recent Emmy nominee and beloved Broadway star Michael Urie gets to embrace Brian’s egomania by preaching its benefits in an improvised TED talk… only to then repeatedly abandon his personal belief system in favor of the show’s supportive communal vibes.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Before Bridgegate, there was Tollgate in 2011, when Baroni went behind the back of the executive director to conspire with Christie to concoct a phony and fantastically too high 50% toll hike plan, that Christie could knock back and be the hero.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
26 Jan. 2026
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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
Verb
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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
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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 4 Feb. 2026.
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