SUDDENLY Synonyms: 49 Similar and Opposite Words

suddenly

adverb

Definition of suddenly

as in abruptly

with great suddenness the bus stopped suddenly, and somebody's lunch landed in the aisle

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of suddenly Taurus April 20 – May 20 Your comfort zone may suddenly come with a price tag. — Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 20 Sep. 2026 The bill's passage came about two months after Graham died suddenly following a tear in his aorta. — David Brennan, ABC News, 19 Sep. 2026 During a performance of Electra, an actress suddenly falls silent. — Greg Evans, Deadline, 19 Sep. 2026 And as Matthew scanned the debris, suddenly, something caught her eye. — Samantha Watson, NPR, 19 Sep. 2026 In July, nearly 4,000 megawatts of data center load suddenly dropped off the public grid in Northern Virginia, part of PJM, the largest regional transmission organization in the US, causing rapid spikes in grid frequency and voltage. — CNBC, 18 Sep. 2026 The violins dig into the first three notes of a rising theme — only to tumble suddenly into a hushed dance, which Mahler marks grazioso. — Justin Davidson, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2026 About two hours after the crash, an NBC4 helicopter covering the incident suddenly fell from the sky and burst into flames a few blocks away. — Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2026 Gemini May 21 – June 20 A creative idea may suddenly feel less effortless once other people begin reacting to it. — Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 18 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for suddenly

Adverb

Bonta abruptly canceled a negotiation session with Paramount in late August after potential deal terms leaked.

— Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 21 Sep. 2026
All anybody in New York can talk about this morning—from the water cooler to the group chats—is how abruptly summer ended and fall announced itself.

— Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 21 Sep. 2026

Definition of abruptly

Adverb

If your browser or security software warns that a site copied something unexpectedly, take that warning seriously.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 23 Sep. 2026
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has unexpectedly delayed the distribution of the shots to a key federal program and some states.

— Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 23 Sep. 2026