improv

Definition of improvnext
as in improvisation
something that is performed, made, or done without preparation the performance features a two-minute improv as well as scripted segments

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of improv That improv continued into the 23-day shoot of the one-location film, which was shot chronologically to allow further character discovery throughout production, while providing the safety of moving linearly through the story. Chris O'Falt, IndieWire, 4 July 2026 Watching improv is reliably funny because performers work without a script. Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 1 July 2026 And Second City has employed limited improv and used audience suggestions as part of its core aesthetic. Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 26 June 2026 But play works more like improv. Jen Zamzow, CNBC, 20 June 2026 After his start in improv, Carl Gottlieb — who co-wrote the screenplay and appeared in the film as local newspaper editor Harry Meadows — continued a career in entertainment by writing, directing and acting in several films after Jaws. Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 20 June 2026 The duo presented an award together at the 2016 NAACP Image Awards, and as Key recalls, that was certainly an on-camera improv exercise. Ralphie Aversa, USA Today, 19 June 2026 The festival will feature Black comedians in Chicago, ranging from improv to musical comedy. Felicity Abbott, CBS News, 16 June 2026 Write a script, make costumes, or just do a little improv. Parents, 11 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for improv
improvisation
Noun
  • Apart from the setting, and some idea of a forward time shift, Nunez began writing the piece and left the rest to improvisation.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 14 July 2026
  • Cady had injected some narcotic into a Georgia peach to knock Natalie out ahead of his confrontation with Crystal on the houseboat, but Ray snooping around on the Bowdens’s behalf led to this deadly improvisation.
    Scott Tobias, Vulture, 10 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Improv.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/improv. Accessed 18 Jul. 2026.

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