abruptly

adverb

abrupt·​ly ə-ˈbrəp(t)-lē How to pronounce abruptly (audio)
Synonyms 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

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.
Meanwhile, the day-shifters all abruptly acquire eye-black face paint for some unexplained reason. Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 16 June 2026 On September 18th, the New York branch of Jay Cooke & Company abruptly shuttered its doors after other banks refused to extend it any more credit. John Cassidy, New Yorker, 15 June 2026 These changes come just one month after Spirit Airlines abruptly ceased all operations, leaving its nine gates at DTW idle. Christina Zhang, CBS News, 15 June 2026 Ragnow, 30, retired abruptly during the summer, announcing his retirement on social media. Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 13 June 2026 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 19 Jun. 2026.

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