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
The facility shut down suddenly last year, along with two other sites that were, at the time, owned by Manna Beverages, which employed more than 600 people collectively here and in Anaheim and Chino.
—
Sacbee.com, 13 June 2026
Amid the hullabaloo of his first trip to the United States as pontiff, Pope Francis suddenly asked his driver to stop.
—Julie Z. Weil, Washington Post, 13 June 2026
Justice Jackson's warning suddenly feels remarkably modern.
—Joseph Andrew, Forbes.com, 13 June 2026
Yes, those same White Sox that lost 324 games over the last three years, including a record 121 in 2024 that surpassed the modern era futility of the ’62 Mets, are suddenly and most unexpectedly looking like legitimate candidates for the postseason.
—Bill Madden, New York Daily News, 13 June 2026
Our problem was that Ukraine and Russia are Europe’s key market for oak, and suddenly there were six to 12 months of delays.
—Axel Söderberg, Fortune, 13 June 2026
Parts of California can shift suddenly by feet or even tens of feet during a major rupture, but both sides remain part of the same crustal system.
—Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 13 June 2026
And suddenly a sequence of songs that has been dealing with romantic ennui gets a knife-turn-in-the-gut twist that no amount of antacids will make feel better.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 12 June 2026
Adamolekun was 11 when his younger brother Wale died suddenly from an asthma attack.
—Rita Omokha, Vanity Fair, 12 June 2026
Sacbee.com, 13 June 2026
Amid the hullabaloo of his first trip to the United States as pontiff, Pope Francis suddenly asked his driver to stop.
—Julie Z. Weil, Washington Post, 13 June 2026
Justice Jackson's warning suddenly feels remarkably modern.
—Joseph Andrew, Forbes.com, 13 June 2026
Yes, those same White Sox that lost 324 games over the last three years, including a record 121 in 2024 that surpassed the modern era futility of the ’62 Mets, are suddenly and most unexpectedly looking like legitimate candidates for the postseason.
—Bill Madden, New York Daily News, 13 June 2026
Our problem was that Ukraine and Russia are Europe’s key market for oak, and suddenly there were six to 12 months of delays.
—Axel Söderberg, Fortune, 13 June 2026
Parts of California can shift suddenly by feet or even tens of feet during a major rupture, but both sides remain part of the same crustal system.
—Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 13 June 2026
And suddenly a sequence of songs that has been dealing with romantic ennui gets a knife-turn-in-the-gut twist that no amount of antacids will make feel better.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 12 June 2026
Adamolekun was 11 when his younger brother Wale died suddenly from an asthma attack.
—Rita Omokha, Vanity Fair, 12 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for suddenly
Adverb
-
Ragnow, 30, retired abruptly during the summer, announcing his retirement on social media.—
Ryan Canfield,
FOXNews.com,
13 June 2026
-
First, don’t stop blood pressure medication on your own—that needs to be a conversation with your physician because some medications can cause a rebound effect when discontinued abruptly.—
Maggie O'Neill,
Verywell Health,
12 June 2026
Adverb
-
If emotions surface unexpectedly, breathe by the sink or window, and speak softly to yourself before answering anyone.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
16 June 2026
-
Things begin to shift when Ollie Armstrong, the popular yet quietly struggling captain of the football team, unexpectedly joins her cause.—
Sarah Kate Ellis,
PEOPLE,
16 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Suddenly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/suddenly. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.
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