as in impromptu
something that is performed, made, or done without preparation
that comedy skit was a totally unrehearsed improvisation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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 improvisation
There always has been, and still is, a healthy amount of improvisation built into the musical’s book, which keeps both audience and actors on their toes.
—
Sara Holdren, Vulture, 13 Apr. 2026
Thanks to both Gosling’s tongue-in-cheek charisma — as well as the curious and utterly sincere personality that Ortiz imbues into Rocky through his voice performance and intuitive puppeteering (with plenty of improvisation) — the movie becomes a disarming interstellar, interspecies bromance.
—Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2026
Baumeister is also creating a piece in the Murphy throughout the residency, with open rehearsals on May 6 and 8, a four-hour solo improvisation on May 7, and a performance with collaborator Jenna Weatherbie on May 9.
—Lauren Warnecke, Chicago Tribune, 1 Apr. 2026
Iran is exposing the limits of a presidency built on bluff, improvisation and submission rituals.
—Fareed Zakaria, Washington Post, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for improvisation
Sara Holdren, Vulture, 13 Apr. 2026
Thanks to both Gosling’s tongue-in-cheek charisma — as well as the curious and utterly sincere personality that Ortiz imbues into Rocky through his voice performance and intuitive puppeteering (with plenty of improvisation) — the movie becomes a disarming interstellar, interspecies bromance.
—Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2026
Baumeister is also creating a piece in the Murphy throughout the residency, with open rehearsals on May 6 and 8, a four-hour solo improvisation on May 7, and a performance with collaborator Jenna Weatherbie on May 9.
—Lauren Warnecke, Chicago Tribune, 1 Apr. 2026
Iran is exposing the limits of a presidency built on bluff, improvisation and submission rituals.
—Fareed Zakaria, Washington Post, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for improvisation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for improvisation
improv
Noun
-
The North Carolina trio’s second studio album combines krautrock grooves and ambient jazz to sculpt sweeping organic improv for the open air.—
Jesse Jarnow,
Pitchfork,
4 May 2026
-
There was a lot of improv happening.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Improvisation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/improvisation. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
