Meanings
comparative more abruptly · superlative most abruptly
- In an abrupt manner; without giving notice, or without the usual forms; suddenly; precipitously.First known use First attested in the late 16ᵗʰ century.
The professor stopped her lecture abruptly when she noticed someone fall off their seat.
1 more example
After weeks of speculation and intracoalitional debate, the text of the compromise was released on Sept. 21. By Sept. 27, the coalition had fallen apart, with Manchin somewhat abruptly pulling what had become known as the side deal from a must-pass budget resolution.
2022 October 5, David Wallace-Wells, “Progressives Should Rally Around a Clean Energy Construction Boom”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 03 Dec 2022Synonyms: abruptedly
Synonyms & antonyms
adverbIn an abrupt manner; without giving notice, or without the usual forms; suddenly; precipitously.
More synonyms by meaning
adverbquickly and without warning
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Latinabrumpō
- Latinabruptus
- Englishabrupt
- Englishabruptly
Translations
Bulgarian рязко, внезапно
- рязко (rjazko)in an abrupt manner
- внезапно (vnezapno)in an abrupt manner
- безцеремонно (bezceremonno)in an abrupt manner
Catalan abruptament, precipitadament
- abruptamentin an abrupt manner
- precipitadamentprecipitously
Chinese Mandarin 突然地, 意外地
- 突然地 (tūrán de)in an abrupt manner
- 意外地 (yìwài de)in an abrupt manner
- 唐突地 (tángtū de)in an abrupt manner
- 陡然地 (dǒurán de)precipitously
- 出乎意料地 (chūhūyìliào de)precipitously
Dutch abrupt, bruusk
- abruptin an abrupt manner
- bruuskin an abrupt manner
- plotsprecipitously
- plotselingprecipitously
Esperanto abrupte
- abruptein an abrupt manner
Finnish äkillisesti, yhtäkkiä
- äkillisestiin an abrupt manner
- yhtäkkiäin an abrupt manner
- äkkijyrkästiprecipitously
- äkillisestiprecipitously
French abruptement, tout d'un coup
- abruptementin an abrupt manner
- tout d'un coupin an abrupt manner
- précipitammentprecipitously
German abrupt, plötzlich
- abruptin an abrupt manner
- plötzlichin an abrupt manner
- unerwartetin an abrupt manner
- schlagartigin an abrupt manner
- abgerissenprecipitously
- abschüssigprecipitously
Greek αποτόμα, αιφνιδίως
- αποτόμα (apotóma)in an abrupt manner
- αιφνιδίως (aifnidíos)in an abrupt manner
- εσπευσμένως (espefsménos)precipitously
- αιφνιδίως (aifnidíos)precipitously
Italian improvvisamente
- improvvisamenteprecipitously
Polish nagle, raptem
- naglein an abrupt manner
- raptemin an abrupt manner
- bezceremonialniein an abrupt manner
- improwizującin an abrupt manner
Portuguese abruptamente
- abruptamentein an abrupt manner
Romanian abrupt, deodată
- abruptin an abrupt manner
- deodatăin an abrupt manner
- precipitatprecipitously
- bruscprecipitously
Russian внеза́пно, неожи́данно
- внеза́пно (vnezápno)in an abrupt manner
- неожи́данно (neožídanno)in an abrupt manner
- ре́зко (rézko)in an abrupt manner
- бесцеремо́нно (besceremónno)in an abrupt manner
- отры́висто (otrývisto)precipitously
Spanish abruptamente, en seco
- abruptamentein an abrupt manner
- en secoin an abrupt manner
- precipitadamenteprecipitously
Thai อย่างฉับพลัน
- อย่างฉับพลันin an abrupt manner
Cite this entry
abruptly. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/abruptly
“abruptly.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/abruptly. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “abruptly,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/abruptly.
Source: abruptly on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.