What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
abruptly
Example
The car came to an abrupt stop when it hit the wall. [abruptly: adverb]
Example
The meeting ended abruptly when the fire alarm went off. [abruptly: adverb]
unexpectedly
Example
She unexpectedly showed up at my door last night. [unexpectedly: adverb]
Example
The test results were unexpectedly positive. [unexpectedly: adverb]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Unexpectedly is more commonly used than abruptly in everyday language. Unexpectedly is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while abruptly is less common and tends to be used in more specific situations.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between abruptly and unexpectedly?
Both abruptly and unexpectedly can be used in formal and informal contexts, but abruptly may be perceived as more formal due to its specificity and less frequent usage.
