Synonyms

improvise

American

[im-pruh-vahyz] / ˈɪm prəˌvaɪz /

verb (used with object)

to compose and perform or deliver without previous preparation; extemporize.

to improvise an acceptance speech.
to compose, play, recite, or sing (verse, music, etc.) on the spur of the moment.
to make, provide, or arrange from whatever materials are readily available.

We improvised a dinner from yesterday's leftovers.

verb (used without object)

to compose, utter, execute, or arrange anything extemporaneously.

When the actor forgot his lines he had to improvise.

improvise British

/ ˈɪmprəˌvaɪz /

verb

to perform or make quickly from materials and sources available, without previous planning
to perform (a poem, play, piece of music, etc), composing as one goes along

"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

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Etymology

Origin of improvise

First recorded in 1820–30; from French improviser, or its source, Italian improvisare (later improvvisare ), verbal derivative of improviso “improvised,” from Latin imprōvīsus, equivalent to im- “un-” + prōvīsus, past participle of prōvidēre “to see beforehand, prepare, provide for (a future circumstance)”; see im- ², proviso

Explanation

To improvise means to make something up on the spot, or figure it out as you go. "Our boss decided to improvise his speech at our company meeting and when he started going off-topic, everyone could tell he hadn't prepared in advance." Improvise comes from the Latin word improvisus, meaning "unforeseen, unexpected." Think about when something unexpected happens to you — you have no choice but to react in the moment, or improvise. Another meaning for improvise refers to acting onstage without a script. When actors improvise scenes for an audience, they create funny situations as they go, without having anything pre-planned. The Second City theater in Chicago made this type of comedy famous, with many well-known alumni like Tina Fey and Stephen Colbert.

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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.

Part of becoming a confident cook is learning how to improvise your way through a recipe.

From Salon • Jun. 16, 2026

It operates within a basic framework, but unlike more rigid European dances, it leaves room to improvise, innovate and take risks.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 15, 2026

"When I play and I improvise, I don't think, because music comes from the subconscious, someplace else," Rollins told news site The Root.

From Barron's • May 26, 2026

Smartphones are not meant to be out in UK classrooms either, but with no national rules on where they should be the rest of the day, schools and teachers are left to improvise.

From BBC • Mar. 25, 2026

But we were going to have to improvise.

From "The Last Olympian" by Rick Riordan

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023