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 Siena game, only 48 hours before, suddenly seemed like a long time ago.
—
Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 22 Mar. 2026
When cruising along and suddenly pressing the accelerator to pass slower traffic, the response felt more subdued than expected from a 400-plus-horsepower luxury vehicle.
—Sponsored Content, Denver Post, 21 Mar. 2026
He was known for personally digging into the details of bureau investigations, even on minor cases, and surprising agents who suddenly found themselves on the phone with him.
—Julia Kimani-Burnham, CBS News, 21 Mar. 2026
If Ray is right, suddenly the front end of that rotation with Logan Webb looks like a massive problem for the rest of the National League.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 21 Mar. 2026
Police say Palacios began to comply but then suddenly sped off southbound.
—Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 21 Mar. 2026
In another, a self-critical impulse takes hold, and what seemed good at first is suddenly embarrassing.
—Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 20 Mar. 2026
According to the video shared by a user named Meooow, a dancing robot suddenly veered too close to diners while performing.
—Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 20 Mar. 2026
Every winter there are bottled baby goats that are suddenly living in our kitchen.
—Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 20 Mar. 2026
Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 22 Mar. 2026
When cruising along and suddenly pressing the accelerator to pass slower traffic, the response felt more subdued than expected from a 400-plus-horsepower luxury vehicle.
—Sponsored Content, Denver Post, 21 Mar. 2026
He was known for personally digging into the details of bureau investigations, even on minor cases, and surprising agents who suddenly found themselves on the phone with him.
—Julia Kimani-Burnham, CBS News, 21 Mar. 2026
If Ray is right, suddenly the front end of that rotation with Logan Webb looks like a massive problem for the rest of the National League.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 21 Mar. 2026
Police say Palacios began to comply but then suddenly sped off southbound.
—Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 21 Mar. 2026
In another, a self-critical impulse takes hold, and what seemed good at first is suddenly embarrassing.
—Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 20 Mar. 2026
According to the video shared by a user named Meooow, a dancing robot suddenly veered too close to diners while performing.
—Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 20 Mar. 2026
Every winter there are bottled baby goats that are suddenly living in our kitchen.
—Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 20 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for suddenly
Adverb
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Operations at LaGuardia Airport were abruptly halted early Monday after a late-night runway collision between a regional passenger aircraft and an emergency vehicle raised safety concerns at one of the busiest air hubs in the United States.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
23 Mar. 2026
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Later in the week, the mayor’s pick to lead the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events was sued by a former employee, and the deputy mayor for community safety was abruptly fired, despite Johnson recently crediting him for his role in the city’s declining crime rate.—
Claire Malon,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Mar. 2026
Adverb
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For many performers, the path to the red suit begins unexpectedly.—
Michael Cuviello,
Dallas Morning News,
16 Mar. 2026
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The special also revisited moments from past Bachelorette seasons when contestants unexpectedly walked away near the end of the journey.—
Lexi Carson,
HollywoodReporter,
16 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Suddenly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/suddenly. Accessed 23 Mar. 2026.
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