off-the-cuff

American  

[awf-thuh-kuhf, of-] / ˈɔf ðəˈkʌf, ˈɒf- /

adjective

1. with little or no preparation; extemporaneous; impromptu.

   a speaker with a good off-the-cuff delivery.

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off the cuff Idioms  

1. Impromptu, extemporaneous, as in His speech was entirely off the cuff. This term supposedly alludes to the practice of speakers making last-minute notes on the cuff of a shirtsleeve. [1930s]

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Etymology

Origin of off-the-cuff

First recorded in 1940–45

Example Sentences

With most of the decisions already made, the Two Sessions are mainly a talking shop with little room for spontaneity or off-the-cuff comments.

From Barron's • Mar. 2, 2026

Besides, there’s ample evidence that unvarnished, off-the-cuff statements can hurt musicians more than they help.

From Salon • Feb. 4, 2026

His work, like his life, seemed like a running improvisation, and the prose work that became “A Child’s Christmas in Wales” offers a nod to the author’s off-the-cuff sensibility.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 19, 2025

After being invited on to the stage, Mr Hatcher danced with the Roar and Firework star before Perry sang an off-the-cuff song about Monyash, Bakewell and Derbyshire.

From BBC • Oct. 14, 2025

They’re fighting for control of our psychic selves; the empathy box on one hand, Buster’s guffaws and off-the-cuff jibes on the other.

From "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" by Philip K. Dick