as in impromptu
made or done without previous thought or preparation
caught by surprise, I had to make an extemporaneous speech at the awards banquet
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Recent Examples of extemporaneous
Where the ponderous fire-roads invited a slow, deliberate pace to space our kidneys, the combination of hilly terrain and a slick surface demanded a more extemporaneous approach to conserving momentum.
—
Byron Hurd, The Drive, 22 Jan. 2026
In 1962, Tillie Olsen gave a largely extemporaneous talk at Harvard’s Radcliffe Institute.
—Literary Hub, 15 Jan. 2026
As protesters dispersed, some started an extemporaneous cumbia dance party in a nearby park.
—Alex Driggars, Austin American Statesman, 8 July 2025
The winners of Monday’s, Tuesday’s, and Wednesday’s shows went on to compete Thursday for bestest extemporaneous cultural critic.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 4 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for extemporaneous
Byron Hurd, The Drive, 22 Jan. 2026
In 1962, Tillie Olsen gave a largely extemporaneous talk at Harvard’s Radcliffe Institute.
—Literary Hub, 15 Jan. 2026
As protesters dispersed, some started an extemporaneous cumbia dance party in a nearby park.
—Alex Driggars, Austin American Statesman, 8 July 2025
The winners of Monday’s, Tuesday’s, and Wednesday’s shows went on to compete Thursday for bestest extemporaneous cultural critic.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 4 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for extemporaneous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for extemporaneous
Adjective
-
Expect impromptu plans with friends or family and little side quests that end up being the highlight of your week.—
Steph Koyfman,
Condé Nast Traveler,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Other quirky clips included her impromptu bouquet toss and high heels nearly breaking.—
Ashlyn Robinette,
PEOPLE,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
This is in part attributable to his fully improvisational approach to song construction, writing nothing down.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
28 Apr. 2026
-
And the six actors in this farcical rom-com are united in their performance style and improvisational tone.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Mizrak can launch from regular runways or from improvised sites.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
1 May 2026
-
During the last decade, Parker’s routine has fostered one of the country’s most compelling new music scenes, where players from diverse backgrounds and demographics have converged to create wildly accessible improvised music.—
Grayson Haver Currin,
Pitchfork,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Extemporaneous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/extemporaneous. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
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