Synonyms of improvise

improvise

verb

ˈim-prə-ˌvīz 

as in to devise

to perform, make, or do without preparation

since the award was a complete surprise, I improvised an acceptance speech

Synonyms & Similar Words

• devise
• concoct
• extemporize
• fake
• ad-lib
• manufacture
• clap (together or up)
• invent
• hatch
• contrive
• think (up)
• cook (up)
• fabricate
• make up
• dash (off)
• cobble (together or up)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• prepare
• ready
• arrange
• lay
• consider
• study
• practice
• exercise
• contemplate
• ponder
• rehearse

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of improvise

None of them decided what was worth going after, recognized which opening justified the risk, or improvised when a target behaved in a way no playbook anticipated. — Jay Kaplan, Fortune, 27 Oct. 2026

The story, conceived by Ari Gold, is improvised by the director’s own family and friends — including his real father – and Ethan Gold’s songs are performed live on camera as the night unfolds. — Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 26 Oct. 2026

Faux freckles grew into a beauty trend as freckles shifted from a feature often concealed to one people deliberately recreate, often improvising with everyday makeup like brow pencils and eyeliner before dedicated products arrived. — Ashley Lynch, Miami Herald, 21 Oct. 2026

The successful applicant must also be willing to wear a hospital gown, memorize scripts, improvise dialogue and provide medical students with constructive feedback on their professionalism. — Daniel Hunt, Sacbee.com, 18 Oct. 2026