abrupt
Sudden and quick, often in a way that feels rude or unexpected.
abrupt in a sentence
- The bus came to an abrupt stop, and everyone lurched forward in their seats.
- The music came to an abrupt end, so sudden that all the dancers froze mid-spin.
Try an 11+ style question
Verbal reasoning papers often ask about a word like this.
Which word is closest in meaning to abrupt?
- Agentle
- Bgradual
- Cslow
- Dsudden
Show the answer
D: sudden. The other three mean the opposite of abrupt.
Which word is most nearly opposite in meaning to abrupt?
- Asudden
- Bsharp
- Chasty
- Dslow
Show the answer
D: slow. The other three mean nearly the same as abrupt.
Words that mean something similar
sudden, sharp, hasty
Words that mean the opposite
slow, gentle, gradual
More words about time & change
- accustom: To get yourself used to something new.
- amend: To change something slightly to make it better or correct.
- ancient: Very old; from a long, long time ago.
- antique: Very old and often valuable.
- antiquity: The distant past, especially the times of ancient Greece and Rome.
- awry: Not going as planned; twisted to one side.
- calamity: A terrible event that causes great damage or sadness.
- cease: To stop happening or stop doing something.
More words to explore
Sitting the 11+ in Kent, Medway or Buckinghamshire?
Plain-English guides to each test, from the councils’ own pages: Kent Test · Medway Test · Bucks Secondary Transfer Test