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.
Maria Bartiromo is out at Fox News Media after more than 12 years, abruptly ending her run as one of the company’s most prominent business and political anchors. Sameen Chaudhry, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026 About Premium Content has Country Spy, a light crime series about Marie-Line Maupain, a spy for the French secret service who is abruptly frozen out by her superiors and sent back to her home town. Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 3 Sep. 2026 But 100 yards from his truck, Delzer saw the tracks abruptly turn into the woods at a location where both Wolff’s truck and the squad truck were visible. David Zeug, Outdoor Life, 3 Sep. 2026 Technical glitches caused screens to freeze or abruptly kick students out of the system. Rebecca Noel, Charlotte Observer, 2 Sep. 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Abruptly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/abruptly. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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