Synonyms of abruptly
: 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.
After that war had ended, the period of Democratic hegemony under President Franklin Roosevelt also ended, and abruptly, with the results of the midterm of 1946. — Ron Elving, NPR, 24 Oct. 2026 The bubble-versus-real debate will end abruptly, and a different one will start. — Stephen Messer, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026 Trump abruptly canceled trade talks with Canada after the ad aired during the World Series in October 2025. — ABC News, 21 Oct. 2026 The players ended the song abruptly, feeding more left-footedness into the performance. — Tom Roland, Billboard, 21 Oct. 2026 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 27 Oct. 2026.

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