improvisation
Americannoun
-
the art or act of improvising, or of composing, uttering, executing, or arranging anything without previous preparation.
Musical improvisation involves imagination and creativity.
-
something improvised.
The actor's improvisation in Act II was both unexpected and amazing.
Other Word Forms
- improvisational adjective
Etymology
Origin of improvisation
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The U.A.E.’s integration with Israeli systems under the United States Central Command isn’t the product of crisis improvisation; it’s the fruit of years of patient institutional work.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 30, 2026
When movement finally began, it resembled not so much order as managed improvisation.
From Slate • Mar. 26, 2026
Against that backdrop, the use of charged historical analogies can feel less like explanation and more like improvisation.
From Salon • Mar. 21, 2026
The five-person cast roams the room, sitting at various circular tables to blur the lines between script and improvisation.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 18, 2026
Examining experiential differences between improvisation and composition in children’s music-making.
From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
