as in to devise
to perform, make, or do without preparation
since the award was a complete surprise, I improvised an acceptance speech
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Recent Examples of improvise
With limited supplies available, the pair improvised using items from passengers and crew — including blankets and a shoelace provided by a flight attendant, the outlet noted.
—
Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 27 Apr. 2026
For Ubach, who improvised parts of the monologue, the speech was simply an expression of nerves for Suze.
—Zoe Papelis, Vulture, 27 Apr. 2026
Still, returning to a more comedic rhythm was a major highlight, especially with the freedom to improvise.
—Deirdre Durkan, PEOPLE, 25 Apr. 2026
Bundelkhand is represented by Maans ke Dahi Bade, a lamb-and-lentil recipe improvised by Maharaja Digvijaya Singh of Sailana, while Panna finds its spot through the imperious-sounding Aash-e-Sangsheer.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for improvise
Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 27 Apr. 2026
For Ubach, who improvised parts of the monologue, the speech was simply an expression of nerves for Suze.
—Zoe Papelis, Vulture, 27 Apr. 2026
Still, returning to a more comedic rhythm was a major highlight, especially with the freedom to improvise.
—Deirdre Durkan, PEOPLE, 25 Apr. 2026
Bundelkhand is represented by Maans ke Dahi Bade, a lamb-and-lentil recipe improvised by Maharaja Digvijaya Singh of Sailana, while Panna finds its spot through the imperious-sounding Aash-e-Sangsheer.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for improvise
Recent Examples of Synonyms for improvise
Verb
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The diner offers certificates of completion for those who finish the trek, and devised a burger named for the route.—
Stephanie Breijo,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
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In March, the school board directed the superintendent to devise a plan to eliminate 3,000 job positions over three years to save about $250 million.—
Amanda Rosa,
Miami Herald,
12 May 2026
Verb
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And she’s spent a decade scaling her brand into an industry disrupter; Ellsworth began concocting prebiotic drinks in 2015, founding her business just one year later.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
11 May 2026
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Cocktails are concocted by in-house mixologist, Waguinho, who also invites guests from the local mixology community to arrange tastings.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 May 2026
Verb
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The future, instead, seems to belong to the teams and coaches who are willing to be a little more flexible and see their role as providing a platform on which their players might extemporize.—
Rory Smith,
New York Times,
3 Mar. 2023
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Friends said he was talented and could extemporize about anything.—
Jacques Kelly,
Baltimore Sun,
24 Jan. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Improvise.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/improvise. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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