improvised

[ im-pruh-vahyzd ]

adjective

1. made or said without previous preparation:

   an improvised skit.

   Synonyms: unprepared, unrehearsed, unpremeditated

Other Words From

• im·pro·vis·ed·ly [im-pr, uh, -, vahy, -zid-lee], adverb
• un·impro·vised adjective
• well-impro·vised adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of improvised¹

First recorded in 1830–40; improvise + -ed ²

Synonym Study

See extemporaneous.

Example Sentences

Roughly 14,000 of them were flown to an improvised refugee camp at Fort McCoy.

From Time

It suggests a shared history, or at least a loosely improvised connection, like Thelonious Monk riffing on a theme, to after-hour jazz clubs in Harlem and soul-food shops in Los Angeles.

From Washington Post

The countryman, scared as he was, began to hesitate, giving a different version of each question, a victim of his own nervous and improvised speech.

From Washington Blade

In a pinch, you can build improvised snowshoes and string of other related winter accoutrements.

From Popular-Science

During each turn, players build off ideas introduced by other players, and the whole experience ends up being a weird combination of game and improvised storytelling.

From Vox

Half of it is taken up by the bunk beds and improvised benches.

From The Daily Beast

“That was improvised quite a bit,” Travolta told The Daily Beast.

From The Daily Beast

Within the enclosure, men sit on dirty couches, either improvised out of other materials or actual literal couches.

From The Daily Beast

He patrolled on foot, and Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) filled the donkey paths that crisscrossed the wadis and hills.

From The Daily Beast

Yelena Fomina provides free psychological help at an improvised office occupying a former McDonalds ron the corner of the Maidan.

From The Daily Beast

He was quick to observe and nothing escaped him, from the improvised candlesticks to the napkin by his china plate.

From Project Gutenberg

After his music lesson, or after having improvised for any length of time, he was invariably overwrought and excited.

From Project Gutenberg

He tried to jump, his foot caught, he slipped, and the next moment was lying full length in the improvised bed.

From Project Gutenberg

Great was my surprise, on entering the hall, to see near the platform an elegant improvised green-room, curtained off.

From Project Gutenberg

He waited until the guerrillas were within a few rods of the improvised breastworks, then ordered the men to fire.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• impromptu
• makeshift
• spontaneous