Meaning & use
abrupt
Happening suddenly and without warning, or unpleasantly brief and curt in manner.
See it in a sentence
The train came to an abrupt stop, throwing passengers forward in their seats.
His abrupt reply made her wonder if she had said something wrong.
A note on using this word
Abrupt can describe events happening suddenly or a person's blunt manner; context usually makes clear which sense is meant.
Words with a similar meaning
suddencurt
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “abrupt”, then compare your use with the examples above.
Your draft stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.