Abrupt
/əˈbrʌpt/
adjectiveBeginnerCommonGeneral
Meaning
Questions
Definitions
1
Occurring or changing suddenly and rapidly.
/əˈbrʌpt/
adjectiveneutralBeginner
General
Sudden and unexpected
His abrupt departure left us all in shock.
More Examples
2
The abrupt end to the meeting was unexpected.
How It's Used
General
"The abrupt change in weather caught everyone off guard."
Late 15th century (in the sense 'cut short, sudden'): from Latin abruptus 'broken off', from ab- 'away from' + rumpere 'to break'.
Historically, 'abrupt' was used to describe geographical features like cliffs or breaks in a river's course.
Memory tip
Imagine a sudden break or cut, like a cliff. That's what 'abrupt' feels like.
Practice
Base: abrupt
abrupabrupetabrups
Usage
60%Spoken
40%Written