abrupt
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
happening very suddenly and often in a way that is not pleasant.
occurring without warning; sudden and unexpected in a way that may be perceived as jarring.
Simple“The bus came to an abrupt stop when a cat ran into the road.”
In context“The meeting came to an abrupt end when the CEO was called away for an emergency phone call.”
Synonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
speaking in a way that is very short and seems a bit rude.
curt or brusque in manner or speech; lacking in social ceremony or politeness.
Simple“I was surprised by his abrupt answer when I asked for help.”
In context“Her abrupt dismissal of my suggestions left me feeling undervalued and hesitant to contribute further to the project.”
- 03 C1 Advanced
having a very steep or sharp drop, like a cliff.
rising or dropping with extreme steepness; precipitous in physical form.
Simple“The path led to an abrupt cliff overlooking the dark ocean.”
In context“The hikers were forced to turn back when they encountered an abrupt rock face that required professional climbing gear to scale.”
- 04 C1 Advanced
changing from one idea to another too quickly, making it hard to follow.
characterised by sudden transitions or lack of smooth connection between parts; disjointed.
Simple“The author's abrupt writing style made the story difficult to understand.”
In context“The professor noted that the student's essay suffered from an abrupt transition between the historical analysis and the modern case study.”
Synonyms - 05 C2 Proficiency
ending suddenly, as if the end was cut off.
terminating suddenly as if broken or cut off; truncate in form.
Simple“The plant is easy to identify because of its abrupt leaf tips.”
In context“The specimen is distinguished from related species by the abrupt termination of the primary root system.”
Usage abrupt changes · abrupt challenge
“Then, about 66 million years ago, the dinosaur era came to an abrupt end.”
“Clarke’s abrupt departure came as Scotland exited the World Cup at the group stage.”
First attested in 1583. Borrowed from Latin abruptus (“broken off”), perfect passive participle of abrumpō (“break off”), formed from ab (“from, away from”) + rumpō (“to break”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.