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Impromptu most often describes things, such as speeches or gatherings, that are not prepared ahead of time but that instead happen spontaneously. An impromptu concert or photoshoot, for example, is conceived and executed in the moment. Impromptu was borrowed—spelling, meaning, and all—from French in the mid-18th century. The French had gotten the word from Latin, from the phrase in promptu, meaning “in readiness.” But the presence of prompt in there is no coincidence: both impromptu and prompt are ultimately derived from the Latin promere, meaning “to bring forth, take out.”
Examples of impromptu in a Sentence
James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 18 May 2026
In an Instagram carousel posted on Tuesday, April 21, the mogul shared snaps from what appears to be an impromptu photo shoot in her home — with her massive wall of Hermès serving as a backdrop.
—Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 14 May 2026
There, on the Hudson River waterfront, David Wojnarowicz wrote poems and painted murals alongside Luis Frangella and Mike Bidlo, while Peter Hujar and Dirk Rowntree photographed scenes of impromptu happenings and performances, before the site was demolished in 1984.
—Natalia Torija, Curbed, 14 May 2026
Staff here are always at the ready during the day to prepare specialty coffees for those who choose to make the lounge an impromptu office.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for impromptu
Cite this Entry
“Impromptu.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/impromptu. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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