as in impromptu
made or done without previous thought or preparation
not bad for an ad-lib comedy routine
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in improvisation
something that is performed, made, or done without preparation
you would never suspect that that stirring speech was an ad-lib
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to improvise
to perform, make, or do without preparation
had to ad-lib constructing a piñata because she'd never actually seen it being done
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ad-lib
Sabrina Park, Harper's BAZAAR, 15 Mar. 2023
Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 6 Mar. 2025
While much of the show was scripted, Lowe was also allowed to ad-lib, which further helped solidify the show’s off-kilter, edgy sense of humor.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 4 Mar. 2025
During their jam session with Bad Bunny, the group was able to ad-lib an element unique to their hometown: the tale of Jacinto, a farmer who is dragged by his cow into a ocean blowhole, famously known as Jacinto’s pit cave.
—Andrea Flores, Los Angeles Times, 18 Jan. 2025
First of all, Megan gets to ad-lib every night and comes up with really funny lines every single night.
—Juan A. Ramírez, Vogue, 22 Nov. 2024
According to Patton Oswalt, the cast would ad-lib jokes for Reynolds to say to Blade in Snipes’s absence.
—Jesse David Fox, Vulture, 2 Aug. 2024
But little did Pearson know, Key would one-up these references with an ad-lib.
—Aaron Couch, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Oct. 2024
McCall’s ad-lib joke about beetles (as in the insect) got them the biggest laugh.
—Mike Barnes, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Aug. 2024
Once, the teleprompter unexpectedly rebooted toward the end of a speech, forcing Biden to ad-lib while his speechwriter at the time, Dylan Loewe, frantically retyped the ending in real time.
—Josh Dawsey, Washington Post, 4 July 2024
Adjective
At the same time, more ad-lib moments are often expected onstage, bound to keep viewers on the edge of their seats.
—Sabrina Park, Harper's BAZAAR, 15 Mar. 2023
Verb
The camera then cut to Tiger Woods — co-founder of the new three-on-three golf league — who broke out into a wide smile, laughing and shaking his head at the ad-lib.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 6 Mar. 2025
While much of the show was scripted, Lowe was also allowed to ad-lib, which further helped solidify the show’s off-kilter, edgy sense of humor.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 4 Mar. 2025
During their jam session with Bad Bunny, the group was able to ad-lib an element unique to their hometown: the tale of Jacinto, a farmer who is dragged by his cow into a ocean blowhole, famously known as Jacinto’s pit cave.
—Andrea Flores, Los Angeles Times, 18 Jan. 2025
First of all, Megan gets to ad-lib every night and comes up with really funny lines every single night.
—Juan A. Ramírez, Vogue, 22 Nov. 2024
According to Patton Oswalt, the cast would ad-lib jokes for Reynolds to say to Blade in Snipes’s absence.
—Jesse David Fox, Vulture, 2 Aug. 2024
But little did Pearson know, Key would one-up these references with an ad-lib.
—Aaron Couch, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Oct. 2024
McCall’s ad-lib joke about beetles (as in the insect) got them the biggest laugh.
—Mike Barnes, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Aug. 2024
Once, the teleprompter unexpectedly rebooted toward the end of a speech, forcing Biden to ad-lib while his speechwriter at the time, Dylan Loewe, frantically retyped the ending in real time.
—Josh Dawsey, Washington Post, 4 July 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ad-lib
Adjective
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So The White House doors have been thrown open to some 200 guests, with pop star Kylie Minogue doing an impromptu live set.—
Tom Gliatto,
People.com,
20 Mar. 2025
-
There might even be an impromptu talent show, with the Uncles and the youngest family members showing off their best dance moves.—
Ronny Maye,
Essence,
19 Mar. 2025
Noun
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So Far The studio run-throughs of the entire album are a delight to sample, as the occasional rough patches and vocal improvisations add authenticity to the band’s obsessive crusade for perfection.—
Ernesto Lechner,
Rolling Stone,
6 Mar. 2025
-
For clinicians, every shift is a mix of strategy, improvisation and pure instinct.—
Jeffrey Wessler,
Forbes,
5 Mar. 2025
Verb
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To get to play and improvise with one of the greats was a special thing.—
Wesley Stenzel,
EW.com,
21 Mar. 2025
-
The lively Cuban jam-style tune invites musicians to improvise lyrics, a homegrown tradition from the city of Santiago, the center of Cuban son music.—
Orlando Matos,
NBC News,
19 Mar. 2025
Verb
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And with more time to game plan, coaching staffs will devise even more creative defensive coverages.—
Jay King,
The Athletic,
11 Mar. 2025
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In the minor-key variations, Lim devised some striking effects.—
Alex Ross,
The New Yorker,
10 Mar. 2025
Verb
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But White Sox concessions partner Levy Restaurants has concocted a new milkshake — the Celebration Cake Shake.—
Sean Hammond,
Chicago Tribune,
19 Mar. 2025
-
Born less than three months apart to devout religious families in the industrial Midwest, Prince and Jackson probably had a lot to talk about when they weren’t holed up in their Xanadu-like mansions concocting their unique blends of soul-funk-disco alchemy.—
Jordan Runtagh,
People.com,
15 Mar. 2025
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
Verb
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Even in the spring of 2026, despite the deepfake hype, many people still believe live audio and video cannot be faked.—
Alex Vakulov,
Forbes,
9 Mar. 2025
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Crime: Police officers outside Denver accused a man of faking a seizure in order to steal bulldogs from a pet store.—
Matthew Cullen,
New York Times,
26 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ad-lib.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ad-lib. Accessed 26 Mar. 2025.
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