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

Recent Examples on the Web Inside the fall of the popular chain Last week, news broke that all 371 99 Cents Only Stores would be closing abruptly. Fidel Martinez, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2024 In 2022, the VA abruptly ended part of its COVID mortgage forbearance program while tens of thousands of vets were still in the middle of it — trapping them with no affordable way to get current on their loans. Quil Lawrence, NPR, 11 Apr. 2024 Then, just as abruptly, the weather is expected to turn colder again. Rick Hurd, The Mercury News, 9 Apr. 2024 Following Hamas’s October 7 attack, however, the United States was abruptly and unexpectedly drawn back into the region. Steven Simon, Foreign Affairs, 9 Apr. 2024 The meeting ended abruptly and their son remained in school. Liam Quinn, Peoplemag, 9 Apr. 2024 The board is seeking a replacement for Lisa Olson, who abruptly announced her retirement in November, effective in January and ending her contract early. Journal Sentinel, 8 Apr. 2024 At thirty-three, my husband had died abruptly and tragically, drowning in Lake Geneva while touring as a rock cellist. Julia Cho, The New Yorker, 31 Mar. 2024 As Stability careened from one new business idea to another, resources were abruptly reallocated and researchers reassigned. Kenrick Cai, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'abruptly.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1565, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of abruptly was in 1565

Dictionary Entries Near abruptly

Cite this Entry

“Abruptly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/abruptly. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.

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