off-the-cuff

[awf-thuh-kuhf, of-]

adjective

1. with little or no preparation; extemporaneous; impromptu.

   a speaker with a good off-the-cuff delivery.

Word History and Origins

Origin of off the cuff¹

First recorded in 1940–45

Idioms and Phrases

Impromptu, extemporaneous, as in His speech was entirely off the cuff. This term supposedly alludes to the practice of speakers making last-minute notes on the cuff of a shirtsleeve. [1930s]

Example Sentences

We both love Pacino’s memoir, “Sonny Boy,” and we talk about how much we enjoyed listening to his off-the-cuff reading of it on the audiobook.

From Los Angeles Times

The US president seems to prefer an off-the-cuff telephone conversation to a sit-down interview on camera.

From BBC

Read too much into an individual tweet, post or off-the-cuff comment by the US president, and the danger is that your conclusions will be contradicted by tomorrow's tweet, post or off-the-cuff comment.

From BBC

The initial 25 percent tariffs on Canada and Mexico, for instance, came out of an off-the-cuff remark to a reporter during a televised Oval Office session on his first day back.

From Salon

Rapid executive orders and the president's willingness to announce his policies on social media or in off-the-cuff remarks have already shown the ability to move markets.

From Salon