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.
Jay’s Steakhouse had a splashy VIP grand opening party on Friday, May 2, before opening to the public on Thursday, May 8, in the space that once housed Holly Blue and The Angeles, both of which abruptly closed last summer. Rod Stafford Hagwood, Sun Sentinel, 10 May 2025 What’s now unsigned Highway 244 — a freeway stub that ends abruptly at Auburn Boulevard — was intended to link Interstate 80, the Capital City Freeway and Watt Avenue with Highway 50. Ariane Lange, Sacbee.com, 8 May 2025 There were no payments for work completed in November and December of last year and projects that had taken years to build were abruptly abandoned. Jessica Alvarado Gamez, Denver Post, 7 May 2025 Several major Connecticut theaters were abruptly informed that National Endowment for the Arts grants, which had already been awarded, were rescinded. Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 7 May 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 14 May. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on abruptly

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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