suddenly
If you're walking on a crowded street and you stop suddenly — abruptly and without warning — somebody walking behind you may bump into you.
If you experience love at first sight, you've suddenly fallen in love. If you're driving at night and a deer jumps out in front of you, you might suddenly have to swerve to avoid it. Suddenly is the kind of adverb you might use a lot if you're describing the plot of an action movie, a mystery novel, or any story in which lots of unexpected things happen.
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happening unexpectedly“suddenly she felt a sharp pain in her side”synonyms: all of a sudden, of a sudden
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quickly and without warning
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on impulse; without premeditation“he made up his mind suddenly”synonyms: on the spur of the moment
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Vocabulary lists containing suddenly
Quick! How many synonyms for "fast" do you know? These words describe everything from a scurrying mouse to an interstellar spacecraft. Don't delay, learn them all! For more synonym lists, explore our Say What You Mean resources.
Vocabulary from "Beowulf" (translated by by Gummere).
Vocabulary from Cormac McCarthy's "The Road."