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
Be patient with parents and bosses if plans suddenly change.
—
Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 30 May 2026
One member of the media, donned in a retro Arsenal shirt, also jumped over a small barrier to watch extra time and penalties in the stands, suddenly becoming another nervous fan with pain written all over his face.
—Ben Church, CNN Money, 30 May 2026
That means there’s no chance of a Republican sweep in this blue state, and suddenly, what has up until now been a pretty dry governor’s primary race has turned into one that has a slim-but-genuine chance at a surprise ending — two Democrats on the November ticket.
—Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2026
But the Iranian boats turned away after helicopters suddenly appeared, the report said without identifying the helicopters.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 30 May 2026
Her enthusiasm for growth had suddenly turned to frustration and desperation.
—George Deeb, Forbes.com, 30 May 2026
Rhaenyra is suddenly dealing with internal criticism, possible rebellions, subjects spray-painting nasty stuff on the walls and self-doubt.
—Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 29 May 2026
Gas can be ignited suddenly and without warning.
—Jamie Stengle, Arkansas Online, 29 May 2026
After spending much of the season together in Italy wth Claude’s family, their future plans are suddenly thrown into question when Danny rushes back to Philly after his mother is hospitalized.
—Jane Lacroix, PEOPLE, 29 May 2026
Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 30 May 2026
One member of the media, donned in a retro Arsenal shirt, also jumped over a small barrier to watch extra time and penalties in the stands, suddenly becoming another nervous fan with pain written all over his face.
—Ben Church, CNN Money, 30 May 2026
That means there’s no chance of a Republican sweep in this blue state, and suddenly, what has up until now been a pretty dry governor’s primary race has turned into one that has a slim-but-genuine chance at a surprise ending — two Democrats on the November ticket.
—Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2026
But the Iranian boats turned away after helicopters suddenly appeared, the report said without identifying the helicopters.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 30 May 2026
Her enthusiasm for growth had suddenly turned to frustration and desperation.
—George Deeb, Forbes.com, 30 May 2026
Rhaenyra is suddenly dealing with internal criticism, possible rebellions, subjects spray-painting nasty stuff on the walls and self-doubt.
—Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 29 May 2026
Gas can be ignited suddenly and without warning.
—Jamie Stengle, Arkansas Online, 29 May 2026
After spending much of the season together in Italy wth Claude’s family, their future plans are suddenly thrown into question when Danny rushes back to Philly after his mother is hospitalized.
—Jane Lacroix, PEOPLE, 29 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for suddenly
Adverb
-
Sturgeon led the Scottish government for almost a decade but abruptly resigned as first minister in February 2023.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
31 May 2026
-
Nonetheless, a strong breeze threatens that window to shut abruptly.—
Mark Medina,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
Adverb
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Greige Often considered beige's cooler-toned cousin, gray-beige (also known as greige) can be an unexpectedly effective color to brighten rooms with—especially when using lighter shades and in south-facing rooms that receive plenty of natural light.—
Nishaa Sharma,
The Spruce,
2 June 2026
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That hasn’t happened, in part because of the unexpectedly high support companies typically receive, according to Stanford University research.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
2 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Suddenly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/suddenly. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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