improvising

VERB

make up

Synonyms

STRONGEST

ad-lib brainstorm concoct contrive devise dream up invent throw together

STRONG

coin extemporize fake jam spark

WEAK

dash off do off top of head do offhand fake it improv improvisate knock off make do slapdash speak off the cuff wing it

Antonyms

WEAK

design plan premeditate

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.

When director Robert Vince was filming "Air Bud Returns," he was impressed to see Roscoe, his four-legged star, improvising concern in a scene where two humans burst into tears.

From Barron's • May 10, 2026

Greek yogurt is one of the few ingredients that has matched my energy in the kitchen: constantly improvising, making it work with what I got, and never letting things go to waste.

From Salon • Apr. 28, 2026

Plaza knew Kevin’s neuroses fit Schwartzman but also that he could bring his own touches while improvising.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 20, 2026

Elite teams managed by him maintain an ideal combination of intelligence within structure, and he has players capable of improvising solutions when patterns break down.

From BBC • Apr. 17, 2026

For example, because improvising music is far more complex than imitating basic patterns, the latter is required in order to perform the former.

From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin