How to Use ad lib in a Sentence

ad lib

adverb
Definition of ad libnext
  • To be repeated ad lib, to be put right when the curtain goes up in earnest.
    — Madeleine Schwartz, The New Yorker, 29 Mar. 2021
  • Susan, the comment, the ad lib heard round the world, literally.
    — NBC News, 27 Mar. 2022
  • Travis Scott does the honors of the titular ad lib, and The Weeknd earned a credit as one of the songwriters (his demo was leaked in 2018).
    — Billboard Staff, Billboard, 28 Jan. 2021
  • And that’s one of those wonderful moments where not being allowed to ad lib was a gift.
    — Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 19 July 2022
  • With his perfect presentation left back home, Knapp is forced to ad lib.
    — Michael Chavez, Forbes, 21 Sep. 2021
  • Be prepared and also be able to ad lib questions about the person interviewing you.
    — Liz Bentley, Marie Claire, 12 Mar. 2020
  • There apparently were an ad lib remark that Vladimir Putin just can't remain in power.
    — NBC News, 27 Mar. 2022
  • Trump's ad lib diplomacy may be partly in response to that dearth of good information.
    — Philip Elliott, Time, 7 Sep. 2017
  • The song features the trio’s usual choppy, ad lib-heavy flow, but paired with a refreshingly melodic, video game-sounding trap beat, complete with a synth crooning quietly in the back.
    — Natalie Maher, Billboard, 22 Jan. 2018
  • Another challenge is that audience members are called up on stage, to be additional spellers in the bee, which requires, per the script, the ability to ad lib.
    — Steve Smith, courant.com, 21 Oct. 2021
  • The line—both funny and heartbreakingly innocent—was Cazale’s ad lib.
    — Michael Schulman, The New Yorker, 13 Aug. 2019
  • Brad had better anticipation and less arm strength, but Randall has a bigger arm and could ad lib and do other things that other quarterbacks can’t do.
    — Conor Orr, SI.com, 27 June 2018
  • There might be formal lyrics, or participants might choose to ad lib, with others joining for the chorus, said Matthew Baya, a radio show host from Williamstown, Massachusetts.
    — David Sharp, Star Tribune, 29 Jan. 2021

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ad lib.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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