abruptly

adverb

abrupt·​ly ə-ˈbrəp(t)-lē How to pronounce abruptly (audio)
Synonyms of abruptly
: 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 Ligue 1 clash between FC Nantes and Toulouse FC was abruptly abandoned. Alejandro Avila Outkick, FOXNews.com, 18 May 2026 An air show at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, was abruptly canceled yesterday after two fighter jets collided in midair and crashed to the ground. Kayla Hayempour, NBC news, 18 May 2026 He was abruptly moved from the starting lineup to the bench on the eve of the regular-season opener, with coach Chris Finch wanting to put the ball in Anthony Edwards’ hands and give the younger Donte DiVincenzo an opportunity to start. Jon Krawczynski, New York Times, 17 May 2026 In September 2022, Lynette Romero abruptly quit KTLA after more than 20 years at the station. Joyann Jeffrey, PEOPLE, 17 May 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 21 May. 2026.

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