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
Then 6-foot-11 Ruben Prey sank his fourth 3-pointer in four attempts, and suddenly the Red Storm were up 53-44.
—
CBS News, 28 Mar. 2026
Less so, the 2026 Grand Prix and actor (Ignacy Liss) win for Poland’s ‘Proud,’ about a young gay party animal suddenly forced to step up his game and take care of his sister’s baby.
—Marta Balaga, Variety, 28 Mar. 2026
And then, unlike in those improv scenes, the stakes for the show at large suddenly become very, very high.
—Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 28 Mar. 2026
But as the postseason nears, the Heat’s defense has suddenly turned into one of its biggest weaknesses.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 28 Mar. 2026
Plus Yosh Nijman, Ekwonu’s backup and the Panthers’ swing tackle, suddenly retired earlier this month — flinging the Panthers’ offensive line plan into even narrower straits.
—Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 27 Mar. 2026
But there’s no room for the Magic to suddenly ease up, with only nine games remaining in the regular season.
—Jason Beede, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Mar. 2026
Darwin is an octopus who’s minding his own business when he’s suddenly ripped out of the ocean and thrown into a junkyard.
—ABC News, 27 Mar. 2026
That wasn’t what my family or church taught, but Christians who subscribed to those beliefs were suddenly ascendant, and their thinking colored the country’s religious landscape.
—Elizabeth Bruenig, The Atlantic, 26 Mar. 2026
CBS News, 28 Mar. 2026
Less so, the 2026 Grand Prix and actor (Ignacy Liss) win for Poland’s ‘Proud,’ about a young gay party animal suddenly forced to step up his game and take care of his sister’s baby.
—Marta Balaga, Variety, 28 Mar. 2026
And then, unlike in those improv scenes, the stakes for the show at large suddenly become very, very high.
—Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 28 Mar. 2026
But as the postseason nears, the Heat’s defense has suddenly turned into one of its biggest weaknesses.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 28 Mar. 2026
Plus Yosh Nijman, Ekwonu’s backup and the Panthers’ swing tackle, suddenly retired earlier this month — flinging the Panthers’ offensive line plan into even narrower straits.
—Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 27 Mar. 2026
But there’s no room for the Magic to suddenly ease up, with only nine games remaining in the regular season.
—Jason Beede, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Mar. 2026
Darwin is an octopus who’s minding his own business when he’s suddenly ripped out of the ocean and thrown into a junkyard.
—ABC News, 27 Mar. 2026
That wasn’t what my family or church taught, but Christians who subscribed to those beliefs were suddenly ascendant, and their thinking colored the country’s religious landscape.
—Elizabeth Bruenig, The Atlantic, 26 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for suddenly
Adverb
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Communications or conversations can feel abruptly charged or destabilizing during the Leo moon.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
29 Mar. 2026
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Kenwood Vineyards, a longtime Sonoma Valley winery, has abruptly closed its tasting room, and a new property sale raises fresh questions about the brand’s future.—
Aidin Vaziri,
San Francisco Chronicle,
28 Mar. 2026
Adverb
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In a modern Danish farming family, the patriarch Gorm unexpectedly chooses to pass the family farm to his youngest daughter, Astrid, causing a deep rift.—
Elsa Keslassy,
Variety,
31 Mar. 2026
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Not long afterward, in Iran, Ejection unexpectedly ran into the daughter-in-law of one of those former colleagues.—
David D. Kirkpatrick,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Suddenly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/suddenly. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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