ad hocismnoun [ U ]
also adhocism /ˌæd ˈhɒk.ɪ.zəm//ˌæd ˈhɑː.kɪz.əm/the practice of reacting to what happens or is needed at a particular time, rather than planning in advance:
He offers a rigid set of foreign policy principles in sharp contrast to the previous leader's ad hocism.
Synonym
ad hockery
More examples
- Directions and tasks must flow from a well-defined policy, or else the organization, guided by adhocism, will founder.
- Teaching institutions are suffering from ad hocism rather than regular appointments.
- While practicing the politics of ad hocism, politicians have been making the grave error of turning a blind eye to corruption and inefficiency in the administration.
- As a design principle, adhocism starts with everyday improvisations: a bottle as a candleholder, a dictionary as a doorstop.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Not expected or planned
- ad hoc
- ad hockery
- ad lib
- ad-lib
- adventitious
- against (all) the odds/against all odds idiom
- all at once idiom
- explosive
- it's just one of those things idiom
- just like that idiom
- make sth up as you go along idiom
- muddle
- muddle along
- rude
- spur
- unawares
- undreamed of
- unexpected
- unforeseen
- unintended
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