abrupt

adjective

\ ə-ˈbrəpt

Definition of abrupt

1a : characterized by or involving action or change without preparation or warning : sudden and unexpected came to an abrupt stop an abrupt turn an abrupt decision to retire

b : rudely or unceremoniously curt She has an abrupt manner. an abrupt reply

c : lacking smoothness or continuity an abrupt transition

2 : giving the impression of being cut or broken off especially : involving a sudden steep rise or drop abrupt hills a high abrupt bank bounded the stream

Other Words from abrupt Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym Did You Know? More Example Sentences Learn More about abrupt

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Other Words from abrupt

abruptly \ ə-ˈbrəp(t)-lē

\ adverb

ended the meeting abruptly

abruptness \ ə-ˈbrəp(t)-nəs

\ noun

Choose the Right Synonym for abrupt

precipitate, headlong, abrupt, impetuous, sudden mean showing undue haste or unexpectedness. precipitate stresses lack of due deliberation and implies prematureness of action. the army's precipitate withdrawal headlong stresses rashness and lack of forethought. a headlong flight from arrest abrupt stresses curtness and a lack of warning or ceremony. an abrupt refusal impetuous stresses extreme impatience or impulsiveness. an impetuous lover proposing marriage sudden stresses unexpectedness and sharpness or violence of action. flew into a sudden rage

steep, abrupt, precipitous, sheer mean having an incline approaching the perpendicular. steep implies such sharpness of pitch that ascent or descent is very difficult. a steep hill a steep dive abrupt implies a sharper pitch and a sudden break in the level. a beach with an abrupt drop-off precipitous applies to an incline approaching the vertical. the river winds through a precipitous gorge sheer suggests an unbroken perpendicular expanse. sheer cliffs that daunted the climbers

Did You Know?

We’ll break it to you gently: abrupt derives from abruptus, the past participle of the Latin verb abrumpere, meaning "to break off." Abrumpere combines the prefix ab- with rumpere, which means "break" and which forms the basis for several other words in English that suggest a kind of breaking, such as interrupt, rupture, and bankrupt. Whether being used to describe a style of speaking that seems rudely short (as in "gave an abrupt answer"), something with a severe rise or drop ("abrupt climate change"), or something that seems rash and unprecipitated ("made the abrupt decision to quit college"), abrupt, which first appeared in English in the 16th century, implies a kind of jarring unexpectedness that catches people off guard.

Examples of abrupt in a Sentence

There was an abrupt change in the weather. The road came to an abrupt end. The storm caused an abrupt power failure. She has an abrupt manner.

Recent Examples on the Web

The hurried life came to an abrupt halt on Monday when he was arrested in Tokyo on financial charges. — John D. Stoll, WSJ, "Ghosn’s ‘Bigger-Than-Life’ Personality Increasingly Rare in Global Car Business," 19 Nov. 2018 But in a strange, abrupt, precipitous ending, Marjorie does indeed become a Shirley. — Marjorie Ingall, Town & Country, "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel," 4 Dec. 2018 Such an abrupt and impactful change can disrupt your hormonal balance, creating delayed and irregular periods. — Caroline Picard, Good Housekeeping, "8 Reasons for a Late Period Besides Pregnancy, According to an OB/GYN," 30 Nov. 2018 Last Man Standing Following an abrupt (and controversial) cancellation last year, the sitcom starring Tim Allen is in production again. — Taysha Murtaugh, Country Living, "Reba, Magnum P.I., Last Man Standing: Which TV Reboots Do You Actually Want?," 9 Aug. 2018 Resignation would bring most of the stresses in his life to an abrupt end. — Jennifer Wright, Harper's BAZAAR, "What Will Actually Happen to Trump?," 19 Dec. 2018 Jeong’s tenure as a Vogue intern comes to an abrupt end. — Vogue, "Comedian Ken Jeong Interns in Vogue’s Beauty Closet, Discovers the Power of Sheet Masks," 18 Dec. 2018 Housing industry officials fear abrupt policy changes from Washington could further dampen the industry’s performance. — Kate Davidson, WSJ, "Trump Expected to Nominate Fannie, Freddie Critic to Oversee Mortgage-Finance Giants," 10 Dec. 2018 The equal inheritance proposal is an abrupt change from current practices, which see males in a family receiving double the inheritance of females. — Fox News, "Tunisian fundamentalists protest report on sexual equality," 11 Aug. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'abrupt.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

History and Etymology for abrupt

borrowed from Latin abruptus "steep, sheer, broken or cut off too short," from past participle of abrumpere "to break, rupture, break off short," from ab- ab- + rumpere "to cause to break or burst," going back to Indo-European *ru-n-p-, nasal present formation from the base *reu̯p- "break, tear" — more at reave