suddenly
Britishadverb
Explanation
If you're walking on a crowded street and you stop suddenly — abruptly and without warning — somebody walking behind you may bump into you. If you experience love at first sight, you've suddenly fallen in love. If you're driving at night and a deer jumps out in front of you, you might suddenly have to swerve to avoid it. Suddenly is the kind of adverb you might use a lot if you're describing the plot of an action movie, a mystery novel, or any story in which lots of unexpected things happen.
Vocabulary lists containing suddenly
A Need for Speed: Synonyms for "Fast"
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Beowulf vocabulary
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Cormac McCarthy's "The Road"
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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.
In the final episode, Tom finds himself taking care of a young and suddenly parentless boy, Sam.
From Los Angeles Times • May 28, 2026
Then Lilly last month agreed to pay up to $7 billion to buy Kelonia outright—based on data from a handful of patients—and J&J’s in-vivo partner suddenly belonged to a rival.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 28, 2026
“Companies that have been cash cows for dividends suddenly have growth to offer,” Zimmermann says.
From Barron's • May 27, 2026
The parties were due to file briefs on the subject when the government suddenly announced a settlement had been reached.
From Salon • May 25, 2026
My chest heaved suddenly, and my throat felt thick.
From "Firegirl" by Tony Abbott
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.
