ABRUPT Synonyms: 130 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'abrupt' different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of abrupt are precipitous , sheer , and steep . While all these words mean "having an incline approaching the perpendicular," abrupt implies a sharper pitch and a sudden break in the level. // a beach with an abrupt drop-off

Q: When could 'precipitous' be used to replace 'abrupt'?

The words precipitous and abrupt are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, precipitous applies to an incline approaching the vertical. // the river winds through a precipitous gorge

Q: When is 'sheer' a more appropriate choice than 'abrupt'?

The words sheer and abrupt can be used in similar contexts, but sheer suggests an unbroken perpendicular expanse. // sheer cliffs that daunted the climbers

Q: When would 'steep' be a good substitute for 'abrupt'?

The synonyms steep and abrupt are sometimes interchangeable, but steep implies such sharpness of pitch that ascent or descent is very difficult. // a steep hill // a steep dive

abrupt

adjective

ə-ˈbrəpt

Definition of abrupt next

as in blunt

being or characterized by direct, brief, and potentially rude speech or manner the policeman's abrupt manner discouraged me from trying to claim that I hadn't seen the red light

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in steep

having an incline approaching the perpendicular the gentle, rolling hills gradually give way to high mountains with abrupt sides

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in sudden

not expected his abrupt reappearance seems to have caught everyone off guard

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word abrupt different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of abrupt are precipitous, sheer, and steep. While all these words mean "having an incline approaching the perpendicular," abrupt implies a sharper pitch and a sudden break in the level.

a beach with an abrupt drop-off

When could precipitous be used to replace abrupt?

The words precipitous and abrupt are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, precipitous applies to an incline approaching the vertical.

the river winds through a precipitous gorge

When is sheer a more appropriate choice than abrupt?

The words sheer and abrupt can be used in similar contexts, but sheer suggests an unbroken perpendicular expanse.

sheer cliffs that daunted the climbers

When would steep be a good substitute for abrupt?

The synonyms steep and abrupt are sometimes interchangeable, but steep implies such sharpness of pitch that ascent or descent is very difficult.

a steep hill

a steep dive

Examples of abrupt in a Sentence

These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Recent Examples on the Web Eisenberg is a warm, compassionate guide through a thicket of violence, abrupt endings, and youthful longings, and her book is an intelligent corrective to common true-crime tropes. —

Sarah Weinman, The Atlantic, 31 Oct. 2024 That relationship came to an abrupt end last October. —

Chris Morris, Fortune, 29 Oct. 2024 After a scary stretch of hot days this weekend, Halloween may bring an abrupt drop in temperatures for Phoenix, even as the spooky season has grown warmer in recent years across the country. —

Hayleigh Evans, The Arizona Republic, 25 Oct. 2024 While an increase in antidepressant use occurred before the FDA advisory, there were abrupt and sustained declines in use — ranging from 20% to 50% — after the warnings. —

Kristen Rogers, CNN, 7 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for abrupt

Recent Examples of Synonyms for abrupt

Adjective

After White’s body was found, an autopsy ruled the cause of her death as homicide with evidence of strangulation and blunt force trauma to the head, according to police.

Alaa Elassar, CNN, 5 Nov. 2024
Last month, five Republican U.S. senators returned from a trip to Hungary with a blunt declaration – that Orbán's government had displayed a noticeable shift toward Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Flora Garamvolgyi, CBS News, 2 Nov. 2024