abruptly

adverb

abrupt·​ly ə-ˈbrəp(t)-lē How to pronounce abruptly (audio)
Synonyms of abruptlynext
: in an abrupt manner : in a sudden and unexpected way
He left abruptly.
The car swerved abruptly onto the exit ramp.
Her career as a psychologist ended abruptly several years ago when a hacker broke into some of her private client files and made them public …Michael Logan
The small, rocky Anacapa Island [California] has steep cliffs which rise abruptly from the ocean on almost every side …David J. Rutherford

Examples of abruptly in a Sentence

the car in front stopped abruptly, and we almost hit it
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The bus stopped abruptly after a Baltimore Police Department vehicle cut off the bus while turning into a private parking lot on Edison Highway. Chevall Pryce, Baltimore Sun, 2 Apr. 2026 According to Konig, the messages showed constant communication with a man in Maryland, including photos and song lyrics, before abruptly stopping after the South Africa trip. Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 2 Apr. 2026 But then Vivian abruptly disappears without a trace, sending Taylor on a search for answers that pulls her into the Knox itself—as their new employee. Danielle Parker, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2026 The roots of the crisis go back to a mistake made during the Biden administration, when the VA abruptly shut down a pandemic assistance program while thousands of vets were still in the middle of it. Quil Lawrence, NPR, 2 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for abruptly

Word History

First Known Use

1565, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of abruptly was in 1565

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Abruptly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/abruptly. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.

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