extempore
Off the cuff
Extempore means without preparation or advance thought—spoken, performed, or composed on the spot.
The word functions as both adverb and adjective: She spoke extempore for twenty minutes; an extempore speech.
More common in British than American English, where extemporaneous or off the cuff tend to be preferred.
Without advance preparation
- ad-libUnscripted speech or remark
- offhandCasually unrehearsed
- unscriptedNot pre-written
- unplannedNot arranged beforehand
unprepared · spur-of-the-moment · on-the-spot · unrehearsed · unpremeditated · instinctive · intuitive · natural
Unscripted speech or remark
- makeshiftTemporary, improvised substitute
- jury-riggedTemporarily fixed with scraps
- cobbledSurfaced with rounded stones
- provisionalConditional and possibly temporary
stopgap · resourceful · creative · inventive · adaptive · on-the-fly · thinking on one's feet · ingenious
Formal public speech
- public speakingAddressing a live audience
- addressSpeak to formally
- presentationFormal display to viewers
- discourseFormal communication on subjects
lecture · talk · declamation · monologue · sermon · homily · recitation · delivery
Express clearly, or well-spoken
- fluentSpeaking smoothly, effortlessly
- persuasiveAble to convince others
- silver-tonguedPersuasively articulate speaker
- expressiveShowing feelings outwardly
cogent · lucid · polished · glib · smooth · facile · quick-witted · ready
Systematic reasoning process
- debateFormal argument on issues
- dialecticLogical argument through opposition
- persuasionConvincing through reasoning
- forensicsScientific crime-scene analysis
logos · ethos · pathos · sophistry · polemic · disputation · reasoning · deliberation
impromptu
Without advance preparation
- ad-libUnscripted speech or remark
- offhandCasually unrehearsed
- unscriptedNot pre-written
unplanned · unprepared · spur-of-the-moment · on-the-spot · unrehearsed · unpremeditated · instinctive · intuitive · natural · impulsive
ad-lib
Unscripted speech or remark
- makeshiftTemporary, improvised substitute
- jury-riggedTemporarily fixed with scraps
- cobbledSurfaced with rounded stones
provisional · stopgap · resourceful · creative · inventive · adaptive · on-the-fly · thinking on one's feet · ingenious · improvised
oration
Formal public speech
- public speakingAddressing a live audience
- addressSpeak to formally
- presentationFormal display to viewers
discourse · lecture · talk · declamation · monologue · sermon · homily · recitation · delivery · podium
articulate
Express clearly, or well-spoken
- fluentSpeaking smoothly, effortlessly
- persuasiveAble to convince others
- silver-tonguedPersuasively articulate speaker
expressive · cogent · lucid · polished · glib · smooth · facile · quick-witted · ready · well-spoken
argumentation
Systematic reasoning process
- debateFormal argument on issues
- dialecticLogical argument through opposition
- persuasionConvincing through reasoning
forensics · logos · ethos · pathos · sophistry · polemic · disputation · reasoning · deliberation · exhortation
extemporerehearsed
Prepared by repetition
prepared · scripted · planned · prewritten · memorized
extemporepremeditated
Planned before acting
deliberate · considered · calculated · intentional · intended
extemporaneous, extemporize, extemporary, extemporized, extemporization, extemporizing, extemporaneously, extemporizes