abruptly

adverb

abrupt·​ly ə-ˈbrəp(t)-lē How to pronounce abruptly (audio)
: 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.
Where the 2016 World Series champions saw their contention window close rather abruptly, this iteration might be better equipped to last if Hoyer invests in the development of those players. Jared Wyllys, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025 Unfortunately, a drunken Ben makes a heinous error in judgment that abruptly extinguishes the generosity of their hosts. Dennis Harvey, Variety, 27 June 2025 Advertisement Strikes reinforce Chinese view of U.S. instability China already saw the U.S. under the Trump Administration as an unstable partner, particularly after Trump slammed the world with staggering tariff rates before abruptly reversing course. Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 27 June 2025 That is when a judge abruptly dismissed their case, despite the mother’s objections, because the judge sided with a DHS lawyer who motioned for the dismissal during the hearing, the complaint says. Julia Marnin, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 June 2025 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 2 Jul. 2025.

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