1
as in abruptly
with great suddenness
the bus stopped suddenly, and somebody's lunch landed in the aisle
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in unexpectedly
without warning
suddenly, something fell out of the sky and landed in the field a few feet away
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of suddenly
The Rays took the lead in the fifth with another homer from their suddenly potent hitters.
—
Marc Topkin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
28 June 2026
Tears suddenly dampen his face.
—
Rob Picheta,
CNN Money,
27 June 2026
Azamat Abduraimov, a constant member of Uzbek football teams of the 1990s, recalls the thrill of seeing fellow Uzbeks go from securing a rare spot on Team USSR to suddenly fielding their own national squad once Uzbekistan became an independent nation in 1991.
—
Charles Maynes,
NPR,
27 June 2026
After the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded during take off, killing all seven crewmembers on board, a lighthearted movie about five kids accidentally heading into orbit suddenly seemed rather less appealing.
—
Richard Edwards,
Space.com,
27 June 2026
Now, analysts are suddenly eyeing Intel as a potential challenger.
—
John Werner,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2026
After her father died suddenly in November 2022, Penaloza struggled to return to the course.
—
Toria Sheffield,
PEOPLE,
27 June 2026
The kitchen inside the Bear suddenly gets as quiet as it’s ever been.
—
Jen Chaney,
Vulture,
26 June 2026
As capsule wardrobes, cost per wear and sustainable shopping all gain ground, the appeal of one garment that works two ways suddenly makes a lot of sense.
—
Ryan Brennan,
Charlotte Observer,
26 June 2026
Marc Topkin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
28 June 2026
Tears suddenly dampen his face.
—
Rob Picheta,
CNN Money,
27 June 2026
Azamat Abduraimov, a constant member of Uzbek football teams of the 1990s, recalls the thrill of seeing fellow Uzbeks go from securing a rare spot on Team USSR to suddenly fielding their own national squad once Uzbekistan became an independent nation in 1991.
—
Charles Maynes,
NPR,
27 June 2026
After the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded during take off, killing all seven crewmembers on board, a lighthearted movie about five kids accidentally heading into orbit suddenly seemed rather less appealing.
—
Richard Edwards,
Space.com,
27 June 2026
Now, analysts are suddenly eyeing Intel as a potential challenger.
—
John Werner,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2026
After her father died suddenly in November 2022, Penaloza struggled to return to the course.
—
Toria Sheffield,
PEOPLE,
27 June 2026
The kitchen inside the Bear suddenly gets as quiet as it’s ever been.
—
Jen Chaney,
Vulture,
26 June 2026
As capsule wardrobes, cost per wear and sustainable shopping all gain ground, the appeal of one garment that works two ways suddenly makes a lot of sense.
—
Ryan Brennan,
Charlotte Observer,
26 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for suddenly
Adverb
-
The music stops abruptly as the Grammy winner breathes deeply and even seems to stumble backward at one point.
-
Anthropic's Fable 5 AI model was abruptly pulled from public release by government order, citing national security concerns.
Adverb
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One potential downside of RV travel is that mechanical issues can pop up unexpectedly, like with any vehicle.
-
If lottery-caliber talent unexpectedly drops, Philadelphia could have a chance to make a call.
Cite this Entry
“Suddenly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/suddenly. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.
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