Standard Lemma guide

abruptly

adv · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • US: /əˈbɹʌp.li/
  • US: /əˈbɹʌpt.li/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: AH0 B R AH1 P T L IY0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adv

Meaning 1

In an abrupt manner; without giving notice, or without the usual forms; suddenly; precipitously.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • The professor stopped her lecture abruptly when she noticed someone fall off their seat.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: abruptedly

Antonyms: none provided

2

adverb

Meaning 2

quickly and without warning

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • he stopped suddenly

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: suddenly, short, dead

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Latin abrumpō Latin abruptusbor. English abrupt Middle English -ly English -ly English abruptly From abrupt + -ly.

Across languages

Translations

54 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Belarusian: ра́птам (ráptam) — in an abrupt manner
  • Bulgarian: рязко (rjazko) — in an abrupt manner
  • Bulgarian: внезапно (vnezapno) — in an abrupt manner
  • Bulgarian: безцеремонно (bezceremonno) — in an abrupt manner
  • Catalan: abruptament — in an abrupt manner
  • Chinese Mandarin: 突然地 (tūrán de) — in an abrupt manner
  • Chinese Mandarin: 意外地 (yìwài de) — in an abrupt manner
  • Chinese Mandarin: 唐突地 (tángtū de) — in an abrupt manner
  • Dutch: abrupt — in an abrupt manner
  • Dutch: bruusk — in an abrupt manner
  • Esperanto: abrupte — in an abrupt manner
  • Finnish: äkillisesti — in an abrupt manner
  • Finnish: yhtäkkiä — in an abrupt manner
  • French: abruptement — in an abrupt manner
  • French: tout d'un coup — in an abrupt manner
  • Galician: abruptamente — in an abrupt manner
  • German: abrupt — in an abrupt manner
  • German: plötzlich — in an abrupt manner
  • German: unerwartet — in an abrupt manner
  • German: schlagartig — in an abrupt manner
  • Greek: αποτόμα (apotóma) — in an abrupt manner
  • Greek: αιφνιδίως (aifnidíos) — in an abrupt manner
  • Occitan: abruptament — in an abrupt manner
  • Polish: nagle — in an abrupt manner
  • Polish: raptem — in an abrupt manner
  • Polish: bezceremonialnie — in an abrupt manner
  • Polish: improwizując — in an abrupt manner
  • Portuguese: abruptamente — in an abrupt manner
  • Romanian: abrupt — in an abrupt manner
  • Romanian: deodată — in an abrupt manner
  • Russian: внеза́пно (vnezápno) — in an abrupt manner
  • Russian: неожи́данно (neožídanno) — in an abrupt manner
  • Russian: ре́зко (rézko) — in an abrupt manner
  • Russian: бесцеремо́нно (besceremónno) — in an abrupt manner
  • Spanish: abruptamente — in an abrupt manner
  • Spanish: en seco — in an abrupt manner
  • Thai: อย่างฉับพลัน — in an abrupt manner
  • Catalan: precipitadament — precipitously
  • Chinese Mandarin: 陡然地 (dǒurán de) — precipitously
  • Chinese Mandarin: 出乎意料地 (chūhūyìliào de) — precipitously
  • Dutch: plots — precipitously
  • Dutch: plotseling — precipitously
  • Finnish: äkkijyrkästi — precipitously
  • Finnish: äkillisesti — precipitously
  • French: précipitamment — precipitously
  • German: abgerissen — precipitously
  • German: abschüssig — precipitously
  • Greek: εσπευσμένως (espefsménos) — precipitously
  • Greek: αιφνιδίως (aifnidíos) — precipitously
  • Italian: improvvisamente — precipitously
  • Romanian: precipitat — precipitously
  • Romanian: brusc — precipitously
  • Russian: отры́висто (otrývisto) — precipitously
  • Spanish: precipitadamente — precipitously
Real reading context

abruptly in complete knowledge articles