MEANING
To speak or perform material without following fixed prepared wording.
Use it for
Words that belong together
- ad-lib a line
- ad-lib onstage
On the page
The actor ad-libbed a line when the prop failed.
She ad-libbed until the other speaker recovered the sequence.
Nearby words
Related words
Word forms
- Base
- ad-lib
- Past tense
- ad-libbed
- Past participle
- ad-libbed
- Present participle
- ad-libbing
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- ad-lib
- Present continuous
- am/is/are ad-libbing
- Present perfect
- have/has ad-libbed
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been ad-libbing
- Past
- ad-libbed
- Past continuous
- was/were ad-libbing
- Past perfect
- had ad-libbed
- Past perfect continuous
- had been ad-libbing
- Future
- will ad-lib
- Future continuous
- will be ad-libbing
- Future perfect
- will have ad-libbed
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been ad-libbing
Choose the auxiliary that agrees with your subject. These are constructions of one word, not separate entries.
Usage notes
Primary category: literary. Forms: ad-lib; ad-libs; ad-libbed; ad-libbed; ad-libbing Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings. Third-person singular: ad-libs.
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
Keep a thought for later. Sign in to save privately.