DictionarywingImprovising
verb

wing

To do something without preparation.

When I forget my notes, I just wing it.

Etymology

Wing it is traditionally associated with actors preparing hurriedly in the theater's wings. The expression broadened to performing any task with little preparation.

More examples

  • She wings it whenever someone asks her to give a toast.
  • We winged the presentation after our slides failed to load.
  • I'm winging it in the kitchen tonight instead of following a recipe.

Forms

wing · wings · winged · winging

Similar words

improvise
Emphasizes creating or adapting something with whatever is available.
ad-lib
Usually describes speaking or performing without a prepared script.