as in devising
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 improvising
An example highlights a doctor improvising life-saving care at a baseball game, demonstrating how years of training enable individuals to exceed limits and apply combined skills in critical, unforeseen circumstances, ultimately becoming comfortable with being uncomfortable.
—
Ulrik Juul Christensen,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2026
That turn of phrase, which gives both the band’s eighth album and lead track its title, This Mirror Weighs a Ton, frankly doesn’t make a whole lot of sense, and that’s sort of the point since Banks came up with it while improvising the melodies and vocals simultaneously.
—
Kory Grow,
Rolling Stone,
9 June 2026
No two film or TV shoots are alike, as each director and team of department heads have to find their own unique rhythm that falls somewhere on a spectrum between meticulous storyboarding and completely improvising on set.
—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
6 June 2026
Staff should be trained so schools are not improvising under pressure, and families should know that their children’s schools are places of learning and support.
—
Mercury News Editorial Board,
Mercury News,
27 May 2026
At times, the piano players in his groups would simply back off during part of Rollins’ solos, loath to risk following the twisting pathways of his improvising.
—
Don Heckman,
Los Angeles Times,
26 May 2026
The fact that a leading company is now consulting theologians is either a rare sign of humility or of an industry improvising its ethics in real time—possibly both.
—
Chris Stokel-Walker,
Scientific American,
26 May 2026
Meanwhile, fans are improvising their own solutions.
—
Catherina Gioino,
Fortune,
25 May 2026
The escalating humanitarian crisis within Cuba remains a wildcard that could yet force either side into improvising responses.
—
Sam Meredith,
CNBC,
22 May 2026
Ulrik Juul Christensen,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2026
That turn of phrase, which gives both the band’s eighth album and lead track its title, This Mirror Weighs a Ton, frankly doesn’t make a whole lot of sense, and that’s sort of the point since Banks came up with it while improvising the melodies and vocals simultaneously.
—
Kory Grow,
Rolling Stone,
9 June 2026
No two film or TV shoots are alike, as each director and team of department heads have to find their own unique rhythm that falls somewhere on a spectrum between meticulous storyboarding and completely improvising on set.
—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
6 June 2026
Staff should be trained so schools are not improvising under pressure, and families should know that their children’s schools are places of learning and support.
—
Mercury News Editorial Board,
Mercury News,
27 May 2026
At times, the piano players in his groups would simply back off during part of Rollins’ solos, loath to risk following the twisting pathways of his improvising.
—
Don Heckman,
Los Angeles Times,
26 May 2026
The fact that a leading company is now consulting theologians is either a rare sign of humility or of an industry improvising its ethics in real time—possibly both.
—
Chris Stokel-Walker,
Scientific American,
26 May 2026
Meanwhile, fans are improvising their own solutions.
—
Catherina Gioino,
Fortune,
25 May 2026
The escalating humanitarian crisis within Cuba remains a wildcard that could yet force either side into improvising responses.
—
Sam Meredith,
CNBC,
22 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for improvising
Verb
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However, Solskjaer had spent that off-season devising how United would play with Sancho in an attacking unit alongside Marcus Rashford, Mason Greenwood, Edinson Cavani, Anthony Martial and Dan James, with the likes of Bruno Fernandes just behind.
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States are getting creative in devising how the money will be collected either through taxation or voluntary donations by state residents.
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.
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According to the report, workers illegally pocketed between $20,000 and more than $41,000 in Paycheck Protection Program loans from a massive federal COVID-19 pandemic relief effort – some by concocting companies that didn't exist to pocket federal assistance funds.
Verb
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However, Parker was actually faking the pregnancy and lying to her boyfriend, Wade Griffin, his family and their friends.
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The victim managed to escape by faking a seizure.
Cite this Entry
“Improvising.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/improvising. Accessed 27 Jun. 2026.
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