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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of suddenly
After excelling with point-guard skills in a center’s body, Wembanyama’s range suddenly disappeared.
—
Mark Medina, Forbes.com, 6 June 2026
Shipowners recently told Bloomberg that Iranian fast boats approached a group of vessels transiting through the strait, but turned away after helicopters suddenly appeared.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 6 June 2026
What had once been just another stretch of French coast had suddenly become a vast harbor filled with hundreds of ships and thousands of men.
—Robert McGreevy, FOXNews.com, 6 June 2026
Lopez plays Jackie Cruz, the CEO of her family's airline, while Goldstein plays attorney Daniel Blanchflower, who suddenly gets promoted as the company's in-house lawyer.
—Kimi Robinson, USA Today, 5 June 2026
And that is where the SEC and Big Ten suddenly discovered their opposition.
—Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 June 2026
In January 1857, Brooks died suddenly of croup.
—Rob Wolfe, The Atlantic, 5 June 2026
Mercury in Cancer can explain why words of affirmation are suddenly your primary love language — texts, voice notes, apologies and pillow talk matter more than usual.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 5 June 2026
His death comes just months after his longtime partner, Sarah Fisher, died suddenly in December.
—Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 5 June 2026
Mark Medina, Forbes.com, 6 June 2026
Shipowners recently told Bloomberg that Iranian fast boats approached a group of vessels transiting through the strait, but turned away after helicopters suddenly appeared.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 6 June 2026
What had once been just another stretch of French coast had suddenly become a vast harbor filled with hundreds of ships and thousands of men.
—Robert McGreevy, FOXNews.com, 6 June 2026
Lopez plays Jackie Cruz, the CEO of her family's airline, while Goldstein plays attorney Daniel Blanchflower, who suddenly gets promoted as the company's in-house lawyer.
—Kimi Robinson, USA Today, 5 June 2026
And that is where the SEC and Big Ten suddenly discovered their opposition.
—Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 June 2026
In January 1857, Brooks died suddenly of croup.
—Rob Wolfe, The Atlantic, 5 June 2026
Mercury in Cancer can explain why words of affirmation are suddenly your primary love language — texts, voice notes, apologies and pillow talk matter more than usual.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 5 June 2026
His death comes just months after his longtime partner, Sarah Fisher, died suddenly in December.
—Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 5 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for suddenly
Adverb
-
Last week, Pacifica residents were shocked when the city abruptly closed its iconic pier after cracks developed in its base.—
John Ramos,
CBS News,
7 June 2026
-
The order from Phelan, who abruptly departed his post in April, said the board should consider an officer’s performance, competence and character, among other traits, as part of those qualifications.—
Konstantin Toropin,
Los Angeles Times,
7 June 2026
Adverb
-
What begins as a joke spirals into something far more real and unexpectedly opens the door to Hollywood.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
9 June 2026
-
More than four months have passed since Nancy Guthrie unexpectedly went missing, and the Pima County Sheriff’s Department continues to investigate her disappearance.—
Allison DeGrushe,
StyleCaster,
9 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Suddenly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/suddenly. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
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