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GRE vocabulary

improvise

verbHigh-frequency wordMore I words

to create or perform something spontaneously without preparation or planning

Word origin: From Latin improvisus, unforeseen, from providere, to foresee.

In a sentence

Improvise in a sentence

Here are example sentences showing improvise in a sentence.

When the projector failed, the lecturer had to improvise and deliver the talk entirely from memory.

When the projector failed mid-lecture, the professor improvised, sketching the argument on the chalkboard from memory.

Synonyms
ad-libextemporizeinventdevise
Antonyms
planpreparerehearsepremeditate
Usage & nuance

Using “improvise” well

Improvise centers on acting without preparation, whether by necessity or skill, which places it against plan, rehearse, and premeditate.

Common questions

Questions about “improvise

Improvise (verb) means to create or perform something spontaneously without preparation or planning
Here is improvise used in an example sentence: "When the projector failed, the lecturer had to improvise and deliver the talk entirely from memory." Another example: "When the projector failed mid-lecture, the professor improvised, sketching the argument on the chalkboard from memory."
Common synonyms for improvise include ad-lib, extemporize, invent, devise.
Antonyms of improvise include plan, prepare, rehearse, premeditate.
Improvise clusters with ad-lib, extemporize, invent, and devise in Sentence Equivalence. Watch for the contrast set plan, prepare, rehearse, and premeditate.
Yes. Improvise is a high-frequency GRE word, so it is worth prioritising as you build your vocabulary.

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