extemporaneously

[ ik-stem-puh-rey-nee-uhs-lee ]

adverb

1. with little or no advance preparation:

   The preacher’s Sunday sermons were delivered extemporaneously, with seldom more than a one page outline before him.

   Those of you who have attended an improvisation workshop have experience speaking extemporaneously, or off the cuff.

Word History and Origins

Origin of extemporaneously¹

extemporaneous ( def ) + -ly

Example Sentences

She spoke extemporaneously and at length, in one interview after another, about a tremendously fraught political issue that had long felt personal to Black Americans but was nonetheless novel — if not threatening — to mainstream America.

From Los Angeles Times

The chief must be comfortable speaking extemporaneously — and often in front of cameras — about the work of the police department through the progressive lens of the city’s elected leaders, including the mayor and City Council.

From Los Angeles Times

Other pieces, including tables, chairs and lamps, were made of hard plastic, also with vibrant pigments added extemporaneously.

From New York Times

Speechwriters do try and prepare for such moments, particularly if a president is known to speak extemporaneously.

From Seattle Times

In a self-filmed four-minute video posted across all his social media on Monday, he paced and spoke seemingly extemporaneously about some of the backlash he’s received for his playful manipulation of religious imagery and themes.

From New York Times