abruptly
Americanadverb
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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?”
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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
Etymology
Origin of abruptly
Explanation
If the weather changes abruptly, from bright and sunny to pouring down rain, you're going to get wet. When something happens abruptly, it is sudden and unexpected. Almost anything can change abruptly, and it will always take you by surprise, whether it's the movement of a car, the mood of a movie, or the behavior of your dog. If you've ever had a conversation with someone who spoke to you abruptly, you may have found them a little rude. A physical attribute can also be described as abrupt, like when the edge of a rocky cliff drops abruptly to the ocean.
Vocabulary lists containing abruptly
A Long Walk to Water
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"Of Mice and Men"
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Number the Stars
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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.
A judge who acts abruptly or rudely, or who appears to make random decisions, is not necessarily guilty of misconduct.
From MarketWatch • Jul. 9, 2026
He abruptly ended the first concert on his tour after a ‘dizzy’ spell.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 6, 2026
Last year, The Abbey, a Samuel Smith pub in Derby, abruptly closed with a handwritten note placed on the door saying the brewery owner was unhappy about photos of it being shared online.
From BBC • Jul. 1, 2026
His fortunes turned abruptly in October, when the party’s Central Commission for Discipline Inspection announced an investigation against him.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 28, 2026
He sat up abruptly and gave his head a shake, like a dog coming in from the rain.
From "The Interrupted Tale" by Maryrose Wood
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.
