improvisation

[ im-prov-uh-zey-shuhn, im-pruh-vuh- ]

/ ɪmˌprɒv əˈzeɪ ʃən, ˌɪm prə və- /

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See synonyms for improvisation on Thesaurus.com

noun

the art or act of improvising, or of composing, uttering, executing, or arranging anything without previous preparation: Musical improvisation involves imagination and creativity.

something improvised: The actor's improvisation in Act II was both unexpected and amazing.

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Origin of improvisation

First recorded in 1780–90; improvise + -ation

OTHER WORDS FROM improvisation

im·prov·i·sa·tion·al, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use improvisation in a sentence

Even the chefs—the younger, more intriguing ones, at least—seemed to be unschooled, unofficial, improvisational.
Why Los Angeles Is the Best Food Town in America|Andrew Romano|November 16, 2013|DAILY BEAST
But at the same time, I miss some of the improvisational energy.
Literary City: Jay McInerney’s New York|Henry Krempels|January 26, 2013|DAILY BEAST
There is a certain hypnotic rhythm, almost an improvisational quality, to his sentences.
Must Reads: Kennedy, Sontag and Paris, ‘A Partial History of Lost Causes,’ ‘City of Bohane,’ ‘Flatscreen’|Lauren Elkin, Mythili Rao, Drew Toal, Nicholas Mancusi|April 6, 2012|DAILY BEAST
A lot of the scenes seem to have an improvisational quality.
Justified: Talking to Timothy Olyphant and Walton Goggins|Allen Barra|April 5, 2011|DAILY BEAST

Tom Skerritt: The extras were basically this improvisational group that he found in San Francisco.
The Making of M*A*S*H|Mitchell Zuckoff|October 24, 2009|DAILY BEAST

British Dictionary definitions for improvisation

improvisation

/ (ˌɪmprəvaɪˈzeɪʃən) /

noun

the act or an instance of improvising

a product of improvising; something improvised

Derived forms of improvisation

improvisational or improvisatory (ˌɪmprəˈvaɪzətərɪ, -ˈvɪz-, ˌɪmprəvaɪˈzeɪtərɪ, -trɪ), adjective

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

improvisation

Origin of improvisation

OTHER WORDS FROM improvisation

Words related to improvisation

How to use improvisation in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for improvisation

Derived forms of improvisation