abruptly
adverb
abrupt·ly
ə-ˈbrəp(t)-lē 
: 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
Michael LoganThe small, rocky Anacapa Island [California] has steep cliffs which rise abruptly from the ocean on almost every side …—David J. Rutherford
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
In August 2022, Toto’s European tour was abruptly canceled when France refused him entry due to Schengen visa restrictions.
—Boutayna Chokrane, Rolling Stone, 5 May 2024
The turmoil has added another complicated layer to graduation for students, many of whom had their high school senior-year celebrations abruptly cut short by the coronavirus pandemic in 2020.
—Ryan Patrick Hooper, New York Times, 4 May 2024
As if to complete the effect, the music often cuts off abruptly mid-scene, a technique that leaves you feeling bereft and unmoored.
—Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 3 May 2024
The quiet inside the church had been disturbed only by the rustling of suit cloth as attendees moved to grab handkerchiefs and others abruptly inhaled.
—Julia Coin, Charlotte Observer, 3 May 2024
The crimes occurred last year from January to August while Keeling served as the director of operations at Therapy Trust Behavioral Health, a substance abuse treatment center in Phoenix that abruptly closed in August, according to records.
—Madeline Nguyen, The Arizona Republic, 3 May 2024
That amount, the White House said, includes $29 billion in debt relief for 1.6 million borrowers whose colleges cheated them or closed abruptly.
—Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 3 May 2024
The show begins abruptly, without much to situate us in Charlie’s world besides a Shania Twain performance at his 60th birthday party to demonstrate his pull.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 2 May 2024
At one point, Charlie stuck his tongue out at Tiffany, who responded with a playful wink just before abruptly falling out of the challenge.
—Brian Anthony Hernandez, Peoplemag, 2 May 2024
Boutayna Chokrane, Rolling Stone, 5 May 2024
The turmoil has added another complicated layer to graduation for students, many of whom had their high school senior-year celebrations abruptly cut short by the coronavirus pandemic in 2020.
—Ryan Patrick Hooper, New York Times, 4 May 2024
As if to complete the effect, the music often cuts off abruptly mid-scene, a technique that leaves you feeling bereft and unmoored.
—Justin Chang, The New Yorker, 3 May 2024
The quiet inside the church had been disturbed only by the rustling of suit cloth as attendees moved to grab handkerchiefs and others abruptly inhaled.
—Julia Coin, Charlotte Observer, 3 May 2024
The crimes occurred last year from January to August while Keeling served as the director of operations at Therapy Trust Behavioral Health, a substance abuse treatment center in Phoenix that abruptly closed in August, according to records.
—Madeline Nguyen, The Arizona Republic, 3 May 2024
That amount, the White House said, includes $29 billion in debt relief for 1.6 million borrowers whose colleges cheated them or closed abruptly.
—Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 3 May 2024
The show begins abruptly, without much to situate us in Charlie’s world besides a Shania Twain performance at his 60th birthday party to demonstrate his pull.
—Alison Herman, Variety, 2 May 2024
At one point, Charlie stuck his tongue out at Tiffany, who responded with a playful wink just before abruptly falling out of the challenge.
—Brian Anthony Hernandez, Peoplemag, 2 May 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'abruptly.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near abruptly
Cite this Entry
“Abruptly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/abruptly. Accessed 9 May. 2024.
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