Word
improvise
Phoneticsim·pro·vise, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈɪmpɹəˌvaɪz/
UK/ˈɪmpɹəvˌaɪz/
Definition
v. to create or perform something without preparing it first. You use this when you have to make a plan or a speech at the last minute.
v. to compose, perform, or deliver without prior preparation; to produce something using whatever materials are available at the moment.
Examples
“I forgot my notes, so I had to improvise the speech.”
“When the power went out during the dinner party, we had to improvise and eat by candlelight.”
“The jazz musicians began to improvise over the basic chord progression, creating a complex and spontaneous melody that captivated the entire audience.”
Examples
simple
“I forgot my notes, so I had to improvise the speech.”
contextual
“When the power went out during the dinner party, we had to improvise and eat by candlelight.”
complex
“The jazz musicians began to improvise over the basic chord progression, creating a complex and spontaneous melody that captivated the entire audience.”
Usage
Can be used transitively (to improvise a solution) or intransitively (to improvise during a performance).
Real-World Examples
“It has more than 40 speaking characters, voiced by Australian comedians who perform the written dialogue before improvising alternative takes.” “Rohmer employed a skeleton crew and encouraged his cast to improvise, ensuring that his film remained unencumbered and almost weightless, open to the world’s possibilities and the happy accidents it might send our way.” Etymology
From French improviser; ultimately from Latin improvisus.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/improvise