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.
A number of artists have cut ties with the Kennedy Center since President Trump abruptly ousted president Deborah Rutter and board chair David Rubenstein, replaced board members appointed by former President Biden with his own, and became chair himself earlier this year. Elizabeth Blair, NPR, 9 July 2025 That included programmers abruptly resigning amid financial woes and the departure of artistic director Hussain Currimbhoy. Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 8 July 2025 There’s a wider context here because in May, Newcastle’s sporting director, Paul Mitchell, abruptly quit. Phil Hay, New York Times, 8 July 2025 Even in neighborhoods where village residents' homes abut the city — and where sidewalks end often abruptly, in the middle of a subdivision — no one has publicly questioned why the walkways don't continue southward, Stigler said. Jim Riccioli, jsonline.com, 8 July 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 18 Jul. 2025.

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