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.
In February, creative director Sabato De Sarno abruptly left Gucci before Milan Fashion Week. USA Today, 3 June 2025 But just a few weeks later — after President Donald Trump announced widescale tariffs and the stock market dropped precipitously, bubbling up recession fears — some would-be vacationers abruptly scaled back their spending plans, a second round of the survey found. Ana Teresa Solá, CNBC, 31 May 2025 Shakira's Fenway Park concert was abruptly canceled on Thursday, the Boston ballpark shared via social media. Megan Cartwright, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 May 2025 This has been a year of unexpected upheaval for the drummers in The Who and Foo Fighters, both of whom were abruptly fired this spring despite — or, perhaps, because of — their formidable talents. George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 May 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Abruptly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/abruptly. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.

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