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   Ab·rupt

   /əˈbrəpt/

   

   adjective

   • 1. sudden and unexpected: "I was surprised by the abrupt change of subject" Similar suddenimmediateinstantaneoushurriedhastyquickswiftrapidspeedyprecipitateunexpectedsurprisingstartlingunanticipatedunforeseenwithout warningviolentheadlongbreakneckmeteoricOpposite gradualunhurried
   • 2. brief to the point of rudeness; curt: "you were rather abrupt with that young man" Similar curtbrusquebluntshortsharptersebriskcrispgruffsnappishsnappyunceremoniousoffhandcavalierroughharshrudediscourteousuncivilsurlychurlishbluffno-nonsenseto the pointlaconicinformal:offOpposite friendlypoliteexpansive
   • ▪ (of a style of speech or writing) not flowing smoothly; disjointed: "abrupt, epigrammatic paragraphs" Similar jerkyunevenirregulardisconnecteddiscontinuousbrokenroughinelegantOpposite smoothflowing
   • 3. steep; precipitous: "the abrupt double peak of the mountain" Similar steepsheerprecipitousbluffsharpsuddenacuteperpendicularverticaldizzyvertiginousrare:declivitousOpposite gradualgentle

   Word Origin late 16th century: from Latin abruptus ‘broken off, steep’, past participle of abrumpere, from ab- ‘away, from’ + rumpere ‘break’.

   Derivatives

   • 1. abruptness noun

   Scrabble Points: 10

   • A

     1

   • B

     3

   • R

     1

   • U

     1

   • P

     3

   • T

     1

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