as in impromptu
made or done without previous thought or preparation
caught by surprise, I had to make an extemporaneous speech at the awards banquet
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Recent Examples of extemporaneous
No one else will experience that extemporaneous moment like the woman in that particular seat.
—
Los Angeles Times, 22 Jan. 2026
In 1962, Tillie Olsen gave a largely extemporaneous talk at Harvard’s Radcliffe Institute.
—Literary Hub, 15 Jan. 2026
As protesters dispersed, some started an extemporaneous cumbia dance party in a nearby park.
—Alex Driggars, Austin American Statesman, 8 July 2025
The winners of Monday’s, Tuesday’s, and Wednesday’s shows went on to compete Thursday for bestest extemporaneous cultural critic.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 4 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for extemporaneous
Los Angeles Times, 22 Jan. 2026
In 1962, Tillie Olsen gave a largely extemporaneous talk at Harvard’s Radcliffe Institute.
—Literary Hub, 15 Jan. 2026
As protesters dispersed, some started an extemporaneous cumbia dance party in a nearby park.
—Alex Driggars, Austin American Statesman, 8 July 2025
The winners of Monday’s, Tuesday’s, and Wednesday’s shows went on to compete Thursday for bestest extemporaneous cultural critic.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 4 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for extemporaneous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for extemporaneous
Adjective
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The Eaton and Palisades fire diaspora has played out in a sunburst pattern of impromptu moves that likely will never be traced in full detail.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Feb. 2026
-
This isnt the first time law enforcement officials were involved in an impromptu heroic rescue.—
JT Moodee Lockman,
CBS News,
17 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Blueprints were rarely part of the process, which tended to be more improvisational.—
Nina Metz,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Feb. 2026
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During various interviews last week, Minter talked about wanting to make things easier on Jackson, playing on schedule more and relying less on the quarterback’s improvisational skills to bail out the Ravens.—
Jeff Zrebiec,
New York Times,
6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Months before Shia LaBeouf was arrested in New Orleans, the actor’s increasingly erratic behavior sparked concern on the set of his upcoming movie, three production sources say, culminating in the actor running across a live bullpen with a charging bull during an improvised scene.—
Cheyenne Roundtree,
Rolling Stone,
18 Feb. 2026
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Yet at just over three hours, and without a classic plotline, Dao can also be a patience-tester for those unwilling to groove to its improvised storytelling.—
Jordan Mintzer,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Extemporaneous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/extemporaneous. Accessed 24 Feb. 2026.
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