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Impromptu most often describes things, such as speeches or gatherings, that are not prepared ahead of time but that instead happen spontaneously. An impromptu concert or photoshoot, for example, is conceived and executed in the moment. Impromptu was borrowed—spelling, meaning, and all—from French in the mid-18th century. The French had gotten the word from Latin, from the phrase in promptu, meaning “in readiness.” But the presence of prompt in there is no coincidence: both impromptu and prompt are ultimately derived from the Latin promere, meaning “to bring forth, take out.”
Examples of impromptu in a Sentence
Sara Netzley, EW.com, 1 Apr. 2025
Her most unfiltered thoughts, however, come through in impromptu Instagram Stories shared to her 1.5 million followers.
—Catherine Santino, People.com, 31 Mar. 2025
Now, in September 2021, there was another hurdle: Their chance to travel to the moon hinged on an impromptu game of ping-pong.
—Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 31 Mar. 2025
Some of the most powerful leadership moments happen informally, such as hallway conversations, impromptu reviews or coffee chats.
—Cheryl Robinson, Forbes.com, 30 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for impromptu
Cite this Entry
“Impromptu.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/impromptu. Accessed 14 Apr. 2025.
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