extemporaneous

adjective

(ˌ)ek-ˌstem-pə-ˈrā-nē-əs How to pronounce extemporaneous (audio)
Definition of extemporaneousnext
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of extemporaneous Examine norms like expecting eye contact, extemporaneous speaking and restrictions on movement, and ask whether those norms serve learning or simply serve familiarity. — Tracy King, Forbes.com, 13 Apr. 2026 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 And while its predecessor was created in a more conventional process, with songs prepared before the full band entered the studio, A Pound of Feathers was decidedly more extemporaneous. — Gary Graff, Billboard, 10 Mar. 2026 In 1962, Tillie Olsen gave a largely extemporaneous talk at Harvard’s Radcliffe Institute. — Literary Hub, 15 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for extemporaneous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for extemporaneous
  1. impromptu
  2. improvisational
  3. improvised
Adjective
  • Arepas and coffee anchor impromptu support circles, as grieving customers cling to fragile hope for the missing.
    — Melody Xu, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026
  • An impromptu blind date with a handsome rapist ends with Esther punching him square in the nose, his blood gushing through her fingers.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 1 July 2026
Definition of impromptu
Adjective
  • Leigh is known for making films in a collaborative, improvisational process with his performers and has stayed close with O’Flynn through the years.
    — Josef Adalian, Vulture, 29 June 2026
  • The 34th annual edition of this popular festival, which focuses on improvisational, funk, roots and various styles of jam band music, takes place at the Nevada County Fairgrounds in Grass Valley.
    — Jim Harrington, Mercury News, 25 June 2026
Definition of improvisational
Adjective
  • Outside hospitals, temporary shelters and improvised morgues, relatives continue posting photographs and names of missing family members on social media, hoping someone might recognize them or provide information about their fate.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 4 July 2026
  • An improvised rescue operation is searching for survivors after Venezuela’s historic earthquakes.
    — Hannah Jocelyn, New Yorker, 1 July 2026
Definition of improvised

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extant
extemporaneous
extemporary
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Cite this Entry

“Extemporaneous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/extemporaneous. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on extemporaneous

Nglish: Translation of extemporaneous for Spanish Speakers

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