sudden

adjective

ˈsə-dᵊn How to pronounce sudden (audio)
Definition of suddennext
as in unexpected
not expected the sudden snowstorm resulted in thousands of evening commuters abandoning their cars on impassable highways

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective sudden contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of sudden are abrupt, headlong, impetuous, and precipitate. While all these words mean "showing undue haste or unexpectedness," sudden stresses unexpectedness and sharpness or violence of action.

flew into a sudden rage

When might abrupt be a better fit than sudden?

Although the words abrupt and sudden have much in common, abrupt stresses curtness and a lack of warning or ceremony.

an abrupt refusal

When is it sensible to use headlong instead of sudden?

While in some cases nearly identical to sudden, headlong stresses rashness and lack of forethought.

a headlong flight from arrest

When is impetuous a more appropriate choice than sudden?

The meanings of impetuous and sudden largely overlap; however, impetuous stresses extreme impatience or impulsiveness.

an impetuous lover proposing marriage

Where would precipitate be a reasonable alternative to sudden?

While the synonyms precipitate and sudden are close in meaning, precipitate stresses lack of due deliberation and implies prematureness of action.

the army's precipitate withdrawal

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of sudden But about 15 minutes into the flight, passengers experienced a sudden jolt that sent them lunging forward, according to Mark Springer. — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 20 Oct. 2026 But that doesn’t explain the sudden distance between them, or why the reclusive Irma made the uncharacteristic decision to go to the big parties that open Westish’s school year without telling Pella. — B. D. McClay, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026 Homes in coastal communities like Long Beach, Malibu and Dana Point have been destroyed, while sudden waves have caused considerable flooding on city streets in places like Newport Beach. — Michele Gile, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026 As a result, sudden freezing temperatures can cause materials to fracture easily. — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 14 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sudden
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sudden
  1. unexpected
  2. abrupt
Adjective
  • Prince Harry is opening up about his and wife Meghan Markle’s unexpected decision earlier this year to move back to the United Kingdom years after their dramatic fallout with the British royal family.
    — Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2026
  • The tropical getaway also included some unexpected entertainment.
    — Danielle Minnetian, FOXNews.com, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of unexpected
Adjective
  • Two experienced military observers described a silent craft that performed abrupt maneuvers before disappearing.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The abrupt nature of the cutoff and its potentially dangerous military and humanitarian ramifications led to widespread public outcry focused both on Trump for pulling the rug out from under Ukraine and on SpaceX CEO Elon Musk for enabling him.
    — Georgina Torbet, The Verge, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of abrupt

Phrases Containing sudden

Browse Nearby Words

suctions
sudden
sudden death
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Cite this Entry

“Sudden.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sudden. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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