abruptly

adverb

abrupt·​ly ə-ˈbrəp(t)-lē How to pronounce abruptly (audio)
Synonyms of abruptly
: in an abrupt manner : in a sudden and unexpected way
He left abruptly.
The car swerved abruptly onto the exit ramp.
Her career as a psychologist ended abruptly several years ago when a hacker broke into some of her private client files and made them public …Michael Logan
The small, rocky Anacapa Island [California] has steep cliffs which rise abruptly from the ocean on almost every side …David J. Rutherford

Examples of abruptly in a Sentence

the car in front stopped abruptly, and we almost hit it
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In April, after West Suburban Medical Center abruptly closed, the hospital operator sued the landlord — accusing the property owner of failing to fix serious issues with the hospital's heating and cooling systems and elevators. Lauren Victory, CBS News, 22 June 2026 The movie, which stars Andrew Garfield as the OpenAI boss, was abruptly dropped by AmazonMGM despite being nearly finished. Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 22 June 2026 During the final lap, one hostess appeared to trip and spill them across the floor in a choreographed theatrical fall, abruptly stopping the celebration and startling onlookers. Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 22 June 2026 Mr Chow The upscale Chinese restaurant at the oceanfront W South Beach hotel has closed abruptly after nearly 17 years as a celebrity see-and-be-seen hotspot. Connie Ogle, Miami Herald, 22 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for abruptly

Word History

First Known Use

1565, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of abruptly was in 1565

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Abruptly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/abruptly. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.

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