Definitions

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective created by improvisation; impromptu; unrehearsed.
  • verb Simple past and past participle of improvise.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective done or made using whatever is available

Etymologies

Sorry, no etymologies found.

Support

Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word improvised.

Examples

  • Ordered by Sennett to come up with a more workable screen image, Chaplin improvised an outfit consisting of a too-small coat, too-large pants, floppy shoes, and a battered derby.

    Five People Born on April 16 | myFiveBest 2010

  • Despite donations and the promise of book and movie deals, most of the 33 Chilean miners trapped more than two months have returned to lives of struggle in improvised homes, often in gang-ridden neighborhoods lacking basic services.

    Chile Miners Return For Mass Near Rescue Site AP 2010

  • Despite donations and the promise of book and movie deals, most of the 33 Chilean miners trapped more than two months have returned to lives of struggle in improvised homes, often in gang-ridden neighborhoods lacking basic services.

    Chile Miners Return For Mass Near Rescue Site The Huffington Post News Team 2010

  • Despite donations and the promise of book and movie deals, most of the 33 Chilean miners trapped more than two months have returned to lives of struggle in improvised homes, often in gang-ridden neighborhoods lacking basic services.

    Chile Miners Return For Mass Near Rescue Site AP 2010

  • Gotta have a course in improvised weapons: When the Secret Service hold the only nearby guns and you just HAVE to take off your philandering Old Man's head, how to hurl the nearest lamp with devastating accuracy ...

    Home on the Range? 2008

  • By then Saddam and eleven others had been "arraigned" on television in improvised proceedings of dubious meaning, which backfired politically when Saddam visibly summoned his powers of command and began to dominate the show.

    Ziad for the Defense 2005

  • You decide: Five U.S. soldiers were killed and another 5 wounded Saturday in improvised bomb attacks, the U.S. military announced.

    11/19/2005 2005

  • By then Saddam and eleven others had been "arraigned" on television in improvised proceedings of dubious meaning, which backfired politically when Saddam visibly summoned his powers of command and began to dominate the show.

    Ziad for the Defense 2005

  • It was only in short, improvised moments, because the rest of the time was spent with one friend playing video games, another, assumably, making out with his girlfriend, and I just fooling around on his drumset and listening to Radiohead on his great new sound system.

    oatcake Diary Entry oatcake 2002

  • QUESTION: Is there any significance to your use of the word improvised device.

    CNN Transcript - Breaking News: FBI Director Louis Freeh Holds News Briefing on USS Cole Investigation in Aden, Yemen - October 19, 2000 2000

Comments

Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.