How to spell abrupt

hear itab·rupt/ə'brəpt/adjectiveHidden vowels

What it means: Sudden and unexpected in manner or action.

In a sentence: The car made an abrupt stop at the red light.

The part people get wrong

Often misspelled as abruptt or abrubt.

Same family: abruptly, abruptness, sudden, sharp, unexpected. If you can spell one, the shared part carries to the others.

Where it comes from: “Abrupt” comes from Latin *abruptus*, meaning “broken off” or “steep,” originally used to describe cliffs and rough surfaces. Over time, English speakers began using it figuratively for sudden changes in events, behavior, or conversation.

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Words like this

distract · corrupt · bankrupt · illicit · seize · erupt · eject · disrupt

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