# improvise

/ˈɪmpɹəˌvaɪz/ (US) · /ˈɪmpɹəvˌaɪz/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/improvise
Updated: 2026-05-11

## Definition

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.

For teachers: 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.

## Usage notes

- Can be used transitively (to improvise a solution) or intransitively (to improvise during a performance).

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.