improvisation
noun
im·pro·vi·sa·tion
(ˌ)im-ˌprä-və-ˈzā-shən 
ˌim-prə-və-,
also ˌim-prə-(ˌ)vī-
1
: the act or art of improvising
2
: something (such as a musical or dramatic composition) improvised
improvisationally
adverb
Examples of improvisation in a Sentence
that comedy skit was a totally unrehearsed improvisation
Recent Examples on the Web
Enrolling in Brown University, London discovered that Brother Ah, born Robert Northern, was teaching improvisation there.
—
Steve Smith, New York Times, 29 May 2024
Sometimes in concert, it was performed with slashing drums and swirling, dissonant improvisation that buried its plaintive main theme.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 16 Mar. 2024
And Washington now finds itself in an especially favorable position to shape the long-term future of the relationship to its advantage, because Erdogan’s increasingly incoherent improvisations and his mismanagement of Turkey’s economy seem to have finally backed him into a corner.
—Henri J. Barkey, Foreign Affairs, 17 Aug. 2023
In March, Moore joined Led Zeppelin’s John Paul Jones onstage at Tennessee’s Big Ears Music Festival for 25 minutes of free-form sound improvisation at earbleed volume that had some audience members, perhaps mistakenly expecting something with a backbeat, fleeing for the exits.
—Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 9 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for improvisation 
Steve Smith, New York Times, 29 May 2024
Sometimes in concert, it was performed with slashing drums and swirling, dissonant improvisation that buried its plaintive main theme.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 16 Mar. 2024
And Washington now finds itself in an especially favorable position to shape the long-term future of the relationship to its advantage, because Erdogan’s increasingly incoherent improvisations and his mismanagement of Turkey’s economy seem to have finally backed him into a corner.
—Henri J. Barkey, Foreign Affairs, 17 Aug. 2023
In March, Moore joined Led Zeppelin’s John Paul Jones onstage at Tennessee’s Big Ears Music Festival for 25 minutes of free-form sound improvisation at earbleed volume that had some audience members, perhaps mistakenly expecting something with a backbeat, fleeing for the exits.
—Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 9 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for improvisation
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'improvisation.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near improvisation
Cite this Entry
“Improvisation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/improvisation. Accessed 30 Jun. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
improvisation
noun
im·pro·vi·sa·tion
(ˌ)im-ˌpräv-ə-ˈzā-shən
ˌim-prə-və-
1
: the act or art of improvising
2
: something that is improvised
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