SUDDEN Synonyms: 17 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the adjective 'sudden' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of sudden are abrupt , headlong , impetuous , and precipitate . While all these words mean "showing undue haste or unexpectedness," sudden stresses unexpectedness and sharpness or violence of action. // flew into a sudden rage

Q: When might 'abrupt' be a better fit than 'sudden'?

Although the words abrupt and sudden have much in common, abrupt stresses curtness and a lack of warning or ceremony. // an abrupt refusal

Q: When is it sensible to use 'headlong' instead of 'sudden'?

While in some cases nearly identical to sudden , headlong stresses rashness and lack of forethought. // a headlong flight from arrest

Q: When is 'impetuous' a more appropriate choice than 'sudden'?

The meanings of impetuous and sudden largely overlap; however, impetuous stresses extreme impatience or impulsiveness. // an impetuous lover proposing marriage

Q: Where would 'precipitate' be a reasonable alternative to 'sudden'?

While the synonyms precipitate and sudden are close in meaning, precipitate stresses lack of due deliberation and implies prematureness of action. // the army's precipitate withdrawal

sudden

adjective

ˈsə-dᵊn

Definition of sudden next

as in unexpected

not expected the sudden snowstorm resulted in thousands of evening commuters abandoning their cars on impassable highways

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective sudden contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of sudden are abrupt, headlong, impetuous, and precipitate. While all these words mean "showing undue haste or unexpectedness," sudden stresses unexpectedness and sharpness or violence of action.

flew into a sudden rage

When might abrupt be a better fit than sudden?

Although the words abrupt and sudden have much in common, abrupt stresses curtness and a lack of warning or ceremony.

an abrupt refusal

When is it sensible to use headlong instead of sudden?

While in some cases nearly identical to sudden, headlong stresses rashness and lack of forethought.

a headlong flight from arrest

When is impetuous a more appropriate choice than sudden?

The meanings of impetuous and sudden largely overlap; however, impetuous stresses extreme impatience or impulsiveness.

an impetuous lover proposing marriage

Where would precipitate be a reasonable alternative to sudden?

While the synonyms precipitate and sudden are close in meaning, precipitate stresses lack of due deliberation and implies prematureness of action.

the army's precipitate withdrawal

Examples of sudden in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Challenges of the Past All this sudden success proved to be overwhelming, and Hurt Season soon succumbed to previous addictions as a result. —

Kyle J. Russell, USA TODAY, 6 Sep. 2024 Mercury square Uranus creates tension — this could be in the form of surprising news, conversations that take a strange turn or a sudden change of plans. —

Valerie Mesa, Peoplemag, 5 Sep. 2024 Ventricular fibrillation: The most serious abnormal heart rhythm that can lead to sudden cardiac death. —

Mary Choy, Verywell Health, 5 Sep. 2024 The result is sudden and spectacular thunderstorms, often during the peak heat of the day. —

Rudy Molinek, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for sudden

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