# on the fly

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/on-the-fly
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Spontaneously or extemporaneously; done as one goes, or during another activity.

## Examples

- I often cook dinner on the fly.
- The speaker forgot his notes, so he had to create a new presentation on the fly.
- The director adjusted the scene on the fly, trusting the actors to improvise their lines as the cameras continued to roll.

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