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
After his turn, English let out a sigh, exhausted by all the extemporaneous scribing.
—
Dan Greene, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
Where the ponderous fire-roads invited a slow, deliberate pace to space our kidneys, the combination of hilly terrain and a slick surface demanded a more extemporaneous approach to conserving momentum.
—Byron Hurd, The Drive, 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
See All Example Sentences for extemporaneous
Dan Greene, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
Where the ponderous fire-roads invited a slow, deliberate pace to space our kidneys, the combination of hilly terrain and a slick surface demanded a more extemporaneous approach to conserving momentum.
—Byron Hurd, The Drive, 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
See All Example Sentences for extemporaneous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for extemporaneous
Adjective
-
But the studio’s initial footage and photos certainly led many to assume this was an impromptu moment, and media outlets covered the stunt without knowing the lucky tourists were hand-picked by the studio.—
James Hibberd,
HollywoodReporter,
18 May 2026
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In an Instagram carousel posted on Tuesday, April 21, the mogul shared snaps from what appears to be an impromptu photo shoot in her home — with her massive wall of Hermès serving as a backdrop.—
Catherine Santino,
PEOPLE,
14 May 2026
Adjective
-
Joined on his visit by son Hunter, what Fieri (and likely many viewers) discovered was a chef turning out dishes that are at once creative and accessible, improvisational yet simple.—
Ben Crandell,
Sun Sentinel,
13 May 2026
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But seeing the improvisational group War Babies provided the clarity Short desperately needed.—
Erin Jensen,
USA Today,
12 May 2026
Adjective
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That data only reflects damage caused by airstrikes, drone attacks and remote and improvised explosive device, or IED, explosions.—
Chantal Da Silva,
NBC news,
13 May 2026
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Allison Barr/The Oregonian via AP Portland police said in a statement Saturday night that during an ensuing search of the vehicle and building, investigators located several incendiary and improvised explosive devices, some of which had partially detonated.—
Faris Tanyos,
CBS News,
3 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Extemporaneous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/extemporaneous. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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