abruptly
Americanadverb
-
without warning; suddenly or unexpectedly.
Not noticing that the car in front of him had stopped abruptly, he rear-ended it.
-
in few words and without using any polite formulas; brusquely.
My 14-year-old son was calling; as soon as I picked up, he asked abruptly, “How long till you get home?”
-
steeply; sharply.
At one end, the meadow flowed into a large valley; at the other, it dropped off abruptly in a cliff.
Other Word Forms
- unabruptly adverb
Etymology
Origin of abruptly
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
As they filled out the tests, Movius moved about the City of Industry classroom pounding abruptly on tables.
From Los Angeles Times
In late January, the yen surged abruptly, strengthening to the mid-155 range after approaching the 160 danger zone.
When trade policy shifts abruptly, they delay decisions, sit on cash, and scale back expansion.
From MarketWatch
When tariff rates change abruptly — or when exemptions hinge on lobbying — small businesses struggle to price products, plan inventory or hire workers.
From MarketWatch
Chip opened his mouth to answer, then shut it abruptly and stared hard at the front door of Jonah’s house.
From Literature
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
