abruptly

adverb

abrupt·​ly ə-ˈbrəp(t)-lē How to pronounce abruptly (audio)
: 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.
Donna was first scheduled to stand trial in September 2024, but it was abruptly postponed due to conflicts of interest. Emily Krauser, People.com, 23 Mar. 2025 But then the offseason was interrupted abruptly too — by his phone calls. Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 23 Mar. 2025 However, this upward momentum abruptly reversed due to several negative developments. Trefis Team, Forbes, 22 Mar. 2025 The company was abruptly booted from this week’s Vancouver International Auto Show over unspecified safety concerns. Allison Morrow, CNN, 21 Mar. 2025 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

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Cite this Entry

“Abruptly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/abruptly. Accessed 4 Apr. 2025.

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