abruptly
gb/əbɹˈʌptli/ us/əbɹˈʌptli/
B1
English
~ 2000
Senses
0 senses
adverb
B1
property
1
Suddenly and without warning
Very quickly and without any warning.
Usage pattern:
to happen abruptly
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'abruptly' with 'rudely'; while it can suggest rudeness, it mainly means 'suddenly'.
Synonyms
suddenly (Very close in meaning, but 'suddenly' can be used in more contexts, while 'abruptly' often suggests rudeness or shock as well.)
Antonyms
gradually (Describes something happening slowly over time, the opposite of sudden change.)
Collocations
stop abruptly
|end abruptly
|change abruptly
|leave abruptly
|turn abruptly
Themes
daily life
|emotions
|communication
|time
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The meeting ended abruptly when the fire alarm went off.
- She turned abruptly and walked away.
- The car stopped abruptly to avoid hitting the dog.
- He abruptly changed the subject when I asked about his job.
- The conversation ended abruptly, leaving everyone confused.
Learner examples
- The bus stopped abruptly at the light.
- He left the room abruptly.
- The movie ended abruptly.
- She turned abruptly to see who called her.
adverb
B2
property
2
In a curt or rude manner
In a short and possibly unfriendly way.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this meaning with 'suddenly' in time; here it refers to manner of speaking or acting, not timing.
Synonyms
curtly ('Curtly' emphasizes brevity and bluntness, often with rudeness.)
Antonyms
politely (Shows respect and good manners, opposite of curt or rude speech.)
Collocations
answer abruptly
|speak abruptly
|respond abruptly
Themes
emotions
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- He answered abruptly, making it clear he didn’t want to talk.
- She spoke abruptly and walked out of the room.
- The clerk responded abruptly to my question.
- He ended the call abruptly without saying goodbye.
Learner examples
- She answered me abruptly.
- He spoke to me abruptly.
- The man ended the talk abruptly.
- He said goodbye abruptly.
Grammar
Dictionary form
abruptly
IPA
GB/əbɹˈʌptli/
US/əbɹˈʌptli/
Syllables & stress
ab - ruptly (2 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (ruptly)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: abruptly
- Plural: abruptlies
Word family
Expressions
change abruptly
1/t͡ʃˈeɪnd͡ʒ əbɹˈʌptli/
fixed phrase
Shift suddenly without warning
To become different very suddenly and without a slow change.
Examples
- The weather changed abruptly from sunny to stormy.
- His mood changed abruptly during the meeting.
end abruptly
1/ˈɛnd əbɹˈʌptli/
fixed phrase
Finish suddenly without warning
To finish very suddenly and without preparation.
Examples
- The show ended abruptly when the lights went out.
- Their friendship ended abruptly after the argument.
stop abruptly
1/stˈɑp əbɹˈʌptli/
fixed phrase
Stop suddenly without warning
To stop moving very suddenly and without warning.
Examples
- The horse stopped abruptly when it saw the snake.
- Traffic stopped abruptly due to an accident ahead.