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Glite Dictionary
to wing it

to wing it

28 6.1
Do something without planning or preparation and improvise
  • phrasal verb
  • /wɪŋ ɪt/
  • Informal
translation icon : improvisar
  • Instead of planning every detail of the trip, we decided to wing it and see where the adventure took us.
  • just wing it
  • decided to wing it
  • going to wing it

He's going to wing it with a nuclear madman.

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Examples

  • We'll just have to wing it.

    The Favor (1994)

  • I'll be honest, I usually wing it, but I do have a few basics I always follow.

    Blog text (28)

  • Oh my God, try to sort of wing it a little bit.

  • No, no, I I feel like I just want to wing it myself.

    IMPAULSIVE

  • I think we can wing it.

    The Princess Switch: Switched Again (2020)

  • You know, I think we should probably just wing it.

    Here Comes the Boom (2012)

  • I suppose I could just wing it.

    Vantage Point (2008)

  • We're going to wing it.

    Northfork (2003)

  • So Dan and I are going to wing it.

    Academic text (2001)

  • I feel like so many parents are winging it because you just get thrust into that world all of a sudden.

Synonyms

to improvise
vsto wing it
141 4.0

Do something without planning, using what you have

is the casual phrasal version used in everyday talk
to make it up as one goes along
vsto wing it
  • Informal
11 6.6

Decide or think of things during a situation without planning ahead

is the shorter casual expression for the same spontaneous approach
to ad-lib
vsto wing it
8 6.8

To say or act without preparation

is more general, not limited to speaking or performing
to freestyle
vsto wing it
  • Informal
4 4.1

To perform music, dance, or speech without planning and make it up as you go

is broader and applies outside creative performance too
to fly by the seat of your pants
vsto wing it
  • Informal
3 8.5

To make quick decisions without a plan

is similar but focuses more on casual, unplanned doing
to improv
vsto wing it
  • Informal
3 6.2

To perform without a script, making scenes or music on the spot

is the informal phrasal form used across many situations
to extemporize
vsto wing it
1 9.0

To make or do something without planning

is more informal and conversational rather than formal action

Antonyms

to plan
∞ 1.0

To decide and arrange in advance how to do something

to prepare
∞ 1.0

Make something ready for use or an event

How Prepared

to rehearse
131 3.5
to prepare
∞ 1.0
to plan
∞ 1.0
to wing it
  • Informal
28 6.1

Surface Forms

wing it infinitive
winged it past
winged it past participle
winging it present participle
wings it third person singular

Morphology

wing + it

The meaning 'to do something without planning' cannot be reliably derived from the literal constituents 'wing' (a stage-side space) and the pronoun 'it'. This is an idiomatic, historically theatrical usage whose sense of 'improvise' is not predictable for a B1 learner even if they know both words, so it is opaque.

Etymology

Wing it may come from theater, where actors waited in the wings, the side of the stage, and sometimes had to go on without much practice. So to wing it means 'to improvise' or to do something without planning.