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.
After clamping down on the demonstrations, Chinese authorities abruptly ended all pandemic control operations. Yangyang Cheng, NPR, 4 Oct. 2025 Officers continued to give commands when the man abruptly stood up near the restaurant door. Wren Smetana, AZCentral.com, 3 Oct. 2025 But beneath the joy and relief of reconnecting with family runs a deep undercurrent of anger that a basic human right of connection could be easily – and abruptly – taken away. Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 3 Oct. 2025 That was why two other respected federal prosecutors in the Miami office were abruptly terminated this year. Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 3 Oct. 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 9 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on abruptly

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