wing it
Meaning(s)
1. improvise or do something with little or no preparation
Popularity
Medium
Professional
Medium
Social
How to Memorize
wing the interview/speech/presentation
Analysis
To ‘wing’ something is to do something with little or no plans or preparation. When you ‘wing something’ or ‘wing it’ you improvise or make something up as you go along. This is a casual expression used in both social and professional contexts. Similar in meaning to ‘go with the flow’, ‘to make it up on the spot’ or ‘to improvise’.
Social Examples (Basic)
- I have nothing prepared for this speech, I'm just going to go out there and wing it!
Professional Examples (Basic)
- Adam's presentation in the meeting was awful. It was obvious to everyone that he was winging it.
- I lost the notes I had prepared for my job interview so I had no choice but to wing it. I hope I didn't come across too badly!