abrupt·ly
| \ ə-ˈbrəp(t)-lē
\
\
Definition of abruptly
: 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
Learn More About abruptly
Statistics for abruptly
Look-up Popularity
Cite this Entry
“Abruptly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/abruptly. Accessed 24 May. 2022.
Style: MLA
MLA
Chicago
APA
Merriam-Webster
Chicago
APA
Merriam-Webster
Test Your Vocabulary
Which Word Does Not Belong?
-
- Which of these words does not mean "nonsense"?
Test your knowledge - and maybe learn something along the way.
TAKE THE QUIZ
A daily challenge for crossword fanatics.
TAKE THE QUIZLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Words at Play
-
You're (Probably) Saying It Wrong
18 words even you might be mispronouncing
-
Great Big List of Beautiful & Useless Words
Along with their degrees of usefulness
-
12 French Phrases from Downton Abbey
Many of us have an 'idée fixe'
-
Rare and Amusing Insults, Volume 2
Sometimes a 'cacafuego' can be a real 'slubberdeg...
Ask the Editors
Word Games
-
The Great British Vocabulary Quiz
Make sure you know the difference between a loo a...
Take the quiz
-
Face Your Fears
Don't be scared to answer these questions about f...
Take the quiz
-
Yearbook Superlatives Quiz
"Most Likely to Use Obscure Words"
Take the quiz
-
Lexigo
Find the hidden words by solving the clues
Take the quiz
Share abruptly
Time Traveler for abruptly
The first known use of abruptly was in 1565
See more words from the same year