improvise

improvise — verb

1. to make or arrange something on the spur of the moment, using whatever materials

1.動詞及物 / 不及物B2
釋義

to make or arrange something on the spur of the moment, using whatever materials you can find when the proper ones are missing or there is no time to plan ahead

例句

Jiwoo forgot her school play costume and improvised one from a bedsheet and paint.

improvise + noun (the thing created)

The chef had no cream, so she improvised a sauce with yogurt and herbs.

同義詞
  • make do

    more about surviving or getting by with limited resources rather than actively creating something

  • wing it

    informal; can apply to any unplanned action but often carries a sense of hoping things turn out okay

  • patch together

    emphasises that the result is rough or temporary

反義詞
  • prepare

    to plan and get ready in advance

  • plan

    to decide on a course of action beforehand

文法句型

improvise + noun (the thing created)

improvise (with no object)

用法筆記

Often used when describing how people solve everyday practical problems without the correct tools, ingredients, or equipment. The object can be a physical thing (a shelf, a meal, a tool) or an abstract thing (a solution, a method, a plan).

常見錯誤

❌I improvised a new recipe in the kitchen, which means I planned it for days.
✅I improvised a new recipe with whatever vegetables I found in the fridge.
💡'improvise' always involves doing something without prior planning.

2. to perform music, speech, or acting that is created spontaneously at the moment

2.動詞及物 / 不及物B2
釋義

to perform music, speech, or acting that is created spontaneously at the moment of performance, without a written score, script, or prior rehearsal

例句

The jazz pianist improvised a melody over the bass line as the audience listened.

improvise + melody / solo / line (music)

Christopher forgot a line during the play but calmly improvised until he found his place.

同義詞
  • ad-lib

    restricted to spoken dialogue or verbal performance; less common for music

  • extemporize

    formal; can apply to music, speech, or performance but sounds academic

  • jam

    informal; specifically about musicians playing together spontaneously

反義詞
  • rehearse

    to practice something before performing it

  • script

    to write out exactly what will be said or performed

文法句型

improvise + noun (a solo, a scene, a melody)

improvise on + noun (a theme, a chord progression)

用法筆記

This is the core term for spontaneous creation in the performing arts, especially jazz and theatre. Distinguished from 'ad-lib' — 'improvise' can refer to any kind of performance (music, acting, comedy), while 'ad-lib' is mostly used for spoken lines or verbal humor.

常見錯誤

❌The pianist studied the score carefully and then improvised the piece exactly as written.
✅The pianist created a new melody on the spot
💡she improvised.' — If you follow written music, you are not improvising.