abruptly

[ uh-bruhpt-lee ]

adverb

1. without warning; suddenly or unexpectedly:

   Not noticing that the car in front of him had stopped abruptly, he rear-ended it.

2. in few words and without using any polite formulas; brusquely:

   My 14-year-old son was calling; as soon as I picked up, he asked abruptly, “How long till you get home?”

3. steeply; sharply:

   At one end, the meadow flowed into a large valley; at the other, it dropped off abruptly in a cliff.

Other Words From

• un·ab·rupt·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of abruptly¹

abrupt ( def ) + -ly

Example Sentences

An international team of scientists using observations from NASA-German satellites found evidence that Earth's total amount of freshwater dropped abruptly starting in May 2014 and has remained low ever since.

From Science Daily

When Morrison said the case had “destroyed the Woodward family,” Bernstein’s parents stood up abruptly and left the crowded courtroom.

From Los Angeles Times

Gaetz refused to cooperate with the investigation and abruptly resigned from Congress after the announcement of his nomination, ending the committee’s jurisdiction over him — though not the possibility that the report could still become public.

From Los Angeles Times

While she was away on her That’s My Best Friend Tour in September, LaPaglia said, Bryan abruptly shifted from talking about their future together to saying, “I can’t do this anymore.”

From Los Angeles Times

But Bohn resigned abruptly last May after The Times sent questions to him and USC regarding his conduct as athletic director and management of the department.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• all of a sudden
• precipitously
• suddenly
• unexpectedly