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by ear

Part of Speech:

All (5) Adjective (4) Adverb (1)

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extemporaneous adj.
extemporaneous/extemporary adj.
off-the-cuff adj.
spur-of-the-moment adj.
off the cuff adv.

ADJECTIVE

extemporaneous

Synonyms

WEAK

ad hoc ad-lib automatic autoschediastic casual expedient extemporary extempore fake free immediate impromptu improv improvisatory improviso informal jamming made-up makeshift offhand on impulse on-the-spot snap spontaneous spur-of-the-moment toss off toss out unplanned unpremeditated unprepared unrehearsed unstudied winging it

Antonyms

WEAK

deliberate planned premeditated prepared rehearsed

ADJECTIVE

extemporaneous/extemporary

Synonyms

WEAK

ad hoc ad lib at first glance automatic casual expedient extempore free immediate impromptu improv improvisatory improviso informal jamming made-up makeshift off the cuff off the top of head offhand on impulse on-the-spot snap spontaneous spur-of-the-moment taking for ride thought out loud tossed off tossed out unplanned unpremeditated unprepared unstudied winging it

Antonyms

WEAK

planned prepared read rehearsed written

ADJECTIVE

off-the-cuff

Synonyms

WEAK

ad hoc ad-lib automatic autoschediastic casual expedient extemporary extempore fake free immediate impromptu improv improvisatory improvised improviso informal jamming made-up makeshift offhand on impulse on-the-spot snap spontaneous spur-of-the-moment toss off toss out unplanned unpremeditated unprepared unrehearsed unstudied winging it

ADJECTIVE

spur-of-the-moment

Synonyms

WEAK

ad hoc ad-lib automatic autoschediastic casual expedient extemporary extempore fake free immediate impromptu improv improvisatory improvised improviso informal jamming made-up makeshift offhand on impulse on-the-spot snap spontaneous toss off toss out unplanned unpremeditated unprepared unrehearsed unstudied winging it

ADVERB

off the cuff

Synonyms

WEAK

ad-lib extemporaneously impromptu improv improvised makeshift off the hip off the top of one's head offhand unrehearsed

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

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by ear

"So I'm just kind of playing it by ear."

From Barron's ● May 29, 2026

He was plunked before a piano at age 3 and by 5 could play by ear.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 23, 2026

Young Sylvia loved Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan; sang in her church choir and occasionally with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra; and played drums, keyboard and guitar by ear.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 19, 2026

She does not "read" music – although she is learning music braille – and does it all by ear.

From BBC ● May 16, 2025

However, if you don’t have the song written in notation, you will need to determine the song’s meter by ear.

From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin

by ear

Example Sentences

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