abrupt

abrupt — adjective

1. happening quickly and without any warning, often in a way that surprises or shoc

1.形容詞B2
釋義

happening quickly and without any warning, often in a way that surprises or shocks people.

例句

The meeting came to an abrupt end when the fire alarm went off.

abrupt end — common collocation for sudden stopping

An abrupt change in temperature forced the hikers to turn back before reaching the summit.

abrupt change — noun phrase for sudden shift

同義詞
  • sudden

    very close in meaning, but 'abrupt' often adds a sense of unpleasantness

  • unexpected

    focuses on surprise rather than speed; less dramatic

  • quick

    milder and more neutral; does not suggest shock or unpleasantness

反義詞
  • gradual

    happening slowly and step by step, the opposite of sudden change

  • expected

    anticipated or foreseen, the opposite of surprising

文法句型

abrupt + noun (ending/change/halt/stop/departure)

用法筆記

Typically appears before a noun describing an action or event (end, halt, change, departure). The adverb 'abruptly' is also very common with verbs: 'the conversation ended abruptly.'

常見錯誤

❌The rain was abrupt and started suddenly.
✅There was an abrupt change in the weather, and it started raining heavily.
💡'abrupt' describes the change or event, not the thing itself (rain is not 'abrupt').

2. using very few words when speaking to someone, in a way that comes across as rud

2.形容詞B2
釋義

using very few words when speaking to someone, in a way that comes across as rude, unfriendly, or impatient.

例句

When Wei asked about the delayed flight, the agent gave an abrupt reply and turned away.

abrupt reply — describes a rude short answer

The new manager's abrupt manner quickly annoyed several members of the team.

abrupt manner — describes someone's way of behaving

同義詞
  • curt

    very similar; focuses on shortness of speech as a sign of rudeness

  • brusque

    similar but also describes brisk, impatient behaviour, not just speech

  • blunt

    direct and honest, possibly rude, but not necessarily unfriendly

  • short

    informal synonym; 'She was very short with me.'

反義詞
  • polite

    showing good manners and respect, the opposite of rude

  • warm

    friendly and welcoming, the opposite of cold or unfriendly

文法句型

abrupt + noun (manner/tone/reply)

be + abrupt + with + person

用法筆記

Often used with 'with' to state who receives the unfriendly treatment: 'The nurse was abrupt with the worried patient.' Distinguish from Sense 1 — here the focus is on someone's manner of speaking, not on the speed of an event.

常見錯誤

❌He abrupt me when I asked a question.
✅He was abrupt with me when I asked a question.
💡'abrupt' is an adjective, not a verb; use 'be abrupt with someone.'

3. not flowing or progressing in a smooth, continuous way; having sudden breaks, ju

3.形容詞C1
釋義

not flowing or progressing in a smooth, continuous way; having sudden breaks, jumps, or changes from one part to the next — used especially when talking about writing, speech, music, or movement.

例句

The film's editing felt abrupt, jumping from one scene to the next without any connection.

abrupt editing — describes film cuts that are not smooth

Sun-hee noticed abrupt shifts in the speaker's argument that made the lecture hard to follow.

同義詞
  • jerky

    more specific to physical movement with sudden starts and stops

  • disconnected

    emphasises lack of logical or structural connection

  • uneven

    can mean irregular in quality or flow, not as strong as 'abrupt'

反義詞
  • smooth

    even, steady, and without sudden changes

  • flowing

    moving continuously and naturally, without breaks

文法句型

abrupt + noun (transition/shift/pause/break)

用法筆記

Unlike Sense 1 (which describes events happening without warning) and Sense 2 (which describes rude speech), this sense focuses on the quality of movement, flow, or sequence — the lack of smoothness or continuity in something that is expected to be connected.

常見錯誤

❌The road was abrupt and difficult to drive on.
✅The road had abrupt turns that made driving difficult.
💡'abrupt' describes changes or transitions, not the thing itself (the road is not 'abrupt').