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Glite Dictionary
🎤 To improvise 🎤 Unprepared 💬 A quick remark
ad-lib

ad-lib

1 7.7
A short spoken remark made without preparation
  • noun
  • /ˈædˌlɪb/
translation icon : improvisación
  • Laughter from inside and a few ad libs, i.e., "Okay, okay."
  • one ad-lib

Yeah, for anybody who knows Jeezy's ad libs.

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Examples

  • So he gives us a somewhat modified version of the usual tour, interrupting his set speeches for the blind with ad-libs for the sighted.

    Academic text (1996)

  • With his ad-libs, we all laugh.

    Blog text (31)

  • We're doing ad libs and Dave just throws in.

  • I think Mac's best line was his ad-lib about getting Phonte to write him an intro.

    Blog text (2)

  • She knew the act backward and inside out, to the point where every gag sounded like an ad-lib and every haughty toss of the head was a guaranteed laugh.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • The comedian's best moments often come from an unexpected ad-lib during his routine.

  • During the presentation, she effortlessly included an ad-lib that made everyone laugh.

  • His clever ad-lib added a humorous twist to the otherwise serious discussion.

Synonyms

impromptu
vsad-lib
1 7.2

A speech or remark made without preparation

is the same idea but described as spontaneous rather than planned

Antonyms

scripted
3.7

Written in advance rather than made up while speaking or acting

How Spontaneous

offhanded
1 7.2
improvisation
29 5.6
ad-lib
1 7.7
line
  • Informal
279 8.0
scripted
3.7

Surface Forms

ad-lib singular
ad-libs plural

Etymology

Ad-lib comes from the Latin phrase ad libitum, which means 'at pleasure' or 'as you wish'. Think of an ad-lib as a quick remark said 'at will' without planning, which is why it is an unprepared comment.