(make it up) as we go (along)
Meaning(s)
1. without thinking ahead (based on one's current status or situation)
Popularity
High
Professional
High
Social
How to Memorize
Why don't we just make it up as we go?
Analysis
To do something 'as you go along' means to improvise according to the situation. If you have no fixed plan other than to react to other things that happen, you 'make it up as you go along'. This can have a negative connotation - someone who has failed to plan or has failed to do any research before presenting a topic, for example, might be accused of 'making it up as they go along' - or a positive connotation, similar to the phrase 'go with the flow' (to be unrestricted by plans and willing to adapt to circumstances and needs that arise). This phrase could be used in professional or social contexts.
Social Examples (Basic)
- Let's not plan ahead. Let's just make it up as we go.
- Why don't we decide as we go along so the day will be more spontaneous?
Professional Examples (Basic)
- This is a very complicated procedure, so you can't just make it up as you go along!
- Hurry up, everyone! We have no time to plan things properly. We'll figure it out as we go.