as in improvising
to perform, make, or do without preparation
had to ad-lib constructing a piñata because she'd never actually seen it being done
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ad-libbing
Verb
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The group sings and harmonizes with the instruments, improvising every now and then.—
Nollyanne Delacruz,
Mercury News,
3 Mar. 2026 -
That's all Masali just improvising.—
Emlyn Travis,
Entertainment Weekly,
27 Feb. 2026
Verb
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There were also signs of progress on property taxes as lawmakers on the House Ways and Means Committee advanced their tax cut proposal — although their plan remains far from the one their Senate counterparts are devising.—
Stephen Gruber-Miller,
Des Moines Register,
19 Mar. 2026
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Last week, the council voted to direct the city manager to study moving emergency operations, dispatch and the service call center out of City Hall while devising funding plans for repairing the building, staying there and relocating.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
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As Gyllenhaal begins concocting her third directorial feature, could Curtis be part of the picture?—
Antonio Ferme,
Variety,
6 Mar. 2026
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Gyllenhaal, who also wrote her film, has corrected the imbalance, refashioning the story from the Bride’s perspective and concocting a protagonist of unfiltered feminist fury.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Precocious seven-year-old Arabella convinces a troubled young woman to take her on a road trip, accidentally faking her own kidnapping—and leaving her father, played by Chris Pine, in a panic.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
1 Apr. 2026
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After faking the shot, Pastrnak fed Arvidsson for the one-timer.—
Steve Conroy,
Boston Herald,
28 Mar. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Ad-libbing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ad-libbing. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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