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adv

abruptly

uh-BRUHP-lee
adv
1
Suddenly and without warning.
"The car stopped abruptly at the red light."
"She left the party abruptly, without saying goodbye."

How to Use Abruptly

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishIn a sudden, unexpected way.

Common pairings
end abruptly stop abruptly abruptly changed

Word Forms

more abruptly comparative, most abruptly superlative

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Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

The car stopped _____ at the red light.

Etymology

Formed from abrupt plus the adverb-forming suffix -ly.

Definitions: FreeDict original editorial