abrupt
/əˈbɹʌpt/adjective, verb, noun
abrupt is spelled A-B-R-U-P-T: 6 letters and 2 syllables. It appears 2.4 times per million words in written English, the 17,587th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As an adjective, abrupt means “Without notice to prepare the mind for the event; sudden; hasty; unceremonious” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in abrupt?
| Letters | 6: A-B-R-U-P-T |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | 2.4 times per million words; the 17,587th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is abrupt?
Abrupt appears 2.4 times per million words in written English, the 17,587th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce abrupt?
- US /əˈbɹʌpt/
- US /æbˈɹʌpt/
Abrupt has 2 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-abrupt.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with abrupt?
One word on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as abrupt from its last stressed vowel (/ʌpt/):
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of abrupt
- more abrupt comparative
- abrupter comparative
- most abrupt superlative
- abruptest superlative
- abrupts present, singular, he/she/it, plural
- abrupting participle, present
- abrupted participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does abrupt mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
adjective
- 1
obsoleterareBroken away (from restraint).
- 2
Without notice to prepare the mind for the event; sudden; hasty; unceremonious.
The party came to an abrupt end when the parents of our host arrived.
- 3
Curt in manner.
- 4
Having sudden transitions from one subject or state to another; unconnected; disjointed.
- 5
obsoleteBroken off.
- 6
Extremely steep or craggy as if broken up; precipitous.
- 7
Suddenly terminating, as if cut off; truncate.
verb
- 1
archaicTo tear off or asunder.
- 2
To interrupt suddenly.
noun
- 1
Something which is abrupt; an abyss.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Abrupt in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | abrupt , brusque, precipité |
| German | abrupt, jäh, schroff, steil |
| Portuguese | brusco, abrupto , rude , abscindir , interromper |
| Spanish | abrupto, brusco , repentino, súbito |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does abrupt come from?
First attested in 1583. Borrowed from Latin abruptus (“broken off”), perfect passive participle of abrumpō (“break off”), formed from ab (“from, away from”) + rumpō (“to break”).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).