as in impromptu
made or done without previous thought or preparation
stumbled through an improvised reply to an unexpected question at the press conference
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in devised
to perform, make, or do without preparation
since the award was a complete surprise, I improvised an acceptance speech
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of improvised
Simon Shuster, The Atlantic, 27 Mar. 2026
Last year, British electronic producer Actress and modular synthesis pioneer Suzanne Ciani performed an improvised piece titled Concrète Waves at the Barbican in London and Barcelona’s Sónar Festival.
—Walden Green, Pitchfork, 27 Mar. 2026
Just south of downtown San Jose, about 100 people live on the banks of Coyote Creek, where footpaths and improvised bridges connect a community of tents and wooden shacks — the city’s last sprawling homeless encampment.
—Grant Stringer, Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2026
But military experts said Iran may have used its space launch vehicle for an improvised firing.
—Arkansas Online, 22 Mar. 2026
There was a clash with counter-protesters and two Muslim men from Pennsylvania allegedly threw improvised explosive devices.
—Brian Mann, NPR, 18 Mar. 2026
That was not an improvised response.
—Judah Taub, semafor.com, 18 Mar. 2026
Instead, the images shown feature girls and women, all non-actresses, caught in private moments inside their homes and in ordinary life, mixed with improvised scenes in a school, as well as landscape and observational scenes.
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 11 Mar. 2026
The bomb, an improvised explosive device (IED), went off Sunday and damaged the entrance to the embassy's consular section.
—Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 11 Mar. 2026
Literary Hub, 25 Mar. 2026
None of the dialogues were improvised.
—Marta Balaga, Variety, 21 Mar. 2026
Homes, shops, and temples express individual identities, sometimes clashing, often improvised, yet always alive.
—Big Think, 20 Mar. 2026
The group said the district process was not improvised and issues raised in the lawsuit will be resolved on the record.
—Nick Wooten, Dallas Morning News, 19 Mar. 2026
Some lyrics are improvised, which may explain why the opening track feels vague.
—The Week Us, TheWeek, 18 Mar. 2026
Absent adequate living conditions, many workers improvised, illegally occupying areas outside the city and building themselves shelter with whatever materials were available.
—Sophia La Banca, JSTOR Daily, 11 Mar. 2026
All of the dialogue is improvised, even the rant of a school teacher toward the beginning.
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 11 Mar. 2026
None of that can be improvised.
—John Kerry, semafor.com, 10 Mar. 2026
Adjective
In Russia and Ukraine, soldiers have learned to protect their tanks from drone strikes using improvised nets and boxes, which cover the vehicles like a turtle shell.
—Simon Shuster, The Atlantic, 27 Mar. 2026
Last year, British electronic producer Actress and modular synthesis pioneer Suzanne Ciani performed an improvised piece titled Concrète Waves at the Barbican in London and Barcelona’s Sónar Festival.
—Walden Green, Pitchfork, 27 Mar. 2026
Just south of downtown San Jose, about 100 people live on the banks of Coyote Creek, where footpaths and improvised bridges connect a community of tents and wooden shacks — the city’s last sprawling homeless encampment.
—Grant Stringer, Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2026
But military experts said Iran may have used its space launch vehicle for an improvised firing.
—Arkansas Online, 22 Mar. 2026
There was a clash with counter-protesters and two Muslim men from Pennsylvania allegedly threw improvised explosive devices.
—Brian Mann, NPR, 18 Mar. 2026
That was not an improvised response.
—Judah Taub, semafor.com, 18 Mar. 2026
Instead, the images shown feature girls and women, all non-actresses, caught in private moments inside their homes and in ordinary life, mixed with improvised scenes in a school, as well as landscape and observational scenes.
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 11 Mar. 2026
The bomb, an improvised explosive device (IED), went off Sunday and damaged the entrance to the embassy's consular section.
—Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 11 Mar. 2026
Verb
The Writers Guild removed Friedkin’s name, which up-set Friedkin, who retaliated by saying in interviews that the movie was largely improvised.
—Literary Hub, 25 Mar. 2026
None of the dialogues were improvised.
—Marta Balaga, Variety, 21 Mar. 2026
Homes, shops, and temples express individual identities, sometimes clashing, often improvised, yet always alive.
—Big Think, 20 Mar. 2026
The group said the district process was not improvised and issues raised in the lawsuit will be resolved on the record.
—Nick Wooten, Dallas Morning News, 19 Mar. 2026
Some lyrics are improvised, which may explain why the opening track feels vague.
—The Week Us, TheWeek, 18 Mar. 2026
Absent adequate living conditions, many workers improvised, illegally occupying areas outside the city and building themselves shelter with whatever materials were available.
—Sophia La Banca, JSTOR Daily, 11 Mar. 2026
All of the dialogue is improvised, even the rant of a school teacher toward the beginning.
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 11 Mar. 2026
None of that can be improvised.
—John Kerry, semafor.com, 10 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for improvised
Adjective
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Adding a 10-15% buffer for unexpected costs — a sick day, a lost bag, an impromptu ice cream stop — can save a lot of stress.—
Lauren Schuster,
Kansas City Star,
25 Mar. 2026
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Adding a 10-15% buffer for unexpected costs — a sick day, a lost bag, an impromptu ice cream stop — gives you breathing room.—
Lauren Schuster,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Suno devised all the vocals, instrumentation, arrangements, production, mixing and mastering for all of Tempchin’s songs on both those albums.—
George Varga,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
22 Mar. 2026
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The Tonight Show devised a game that seems more at home on Nickelodeon than NBC.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
20 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Against this backdrop, the president’s messaging has grown more improvisational.—
Vivian Salama,
The Atlantic,
24 Mar. 2026
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Considering its loose, improvisational dialogue, stilted line readings, and tendency to break the fourth wall, Tender Touches feels a lot like a show Rick and Morty might stumble across while channel surfing on their interdimensional cable box.—
Eric Vilas-Boas,
Vulture,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
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When the Covid-19 pandemic hit, scientists identified the virus, deciphered its secrets, concocted a vaccine, put it into production, and rendered the disease manageable – all within a year.—
David Blumenthal,
Fortune,
24 Mar. 2026
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Wholesome content, but entirely concocted.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Cale Makar faked a slap shot from the top of the zone, then slipped a pass to Nelson in the slot.—
Corey Masisak,
Denver Post,
21 Mar. 2026
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Along with making the sequel, a documentary crew will be filming the entire behind-the-scenes process and the relationship between Cynthie and her co-star Jack Turner-Jones, who are actually rivals but also faked a romance during the press trail of the first movie thirteen years ago.—
Haruka Iwasaki,
Literary Hub,
18 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Improvised.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/improvised. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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