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adjective as in unexpected; happening quickly

Strongest matches

  • precipitous

Weak matches

  • accelerated
  • expeditious
  • out of the blue
  • precipitant
  • precipitate

Example Sentences

All of a sudden, political videos have started to appear across all categories — humor, beauty, sport.

Thanks to Google's sudden disinterest in iOS app updates, the messages were showing even when users had the latest, two-month-old updates of these Google apps.

As rescue workers search for more than 100 people who are still missing, officials and scientists are trying to unravel the causes of the sudden flood.

The metaphor of “wildfire” became common in descriptions of the disease, especially “flare-ups” as countries that initially brought down their infection rates faced sudden surges of infection.

The curriculum they covered was truncated in response to the sudden closure of schools in March, when the public health emergency slammed the nation.

Because they stopped and I thought, “OK, that makes sense,” and then all of a sudden I saw another issue!

Investigators will focus on whether the sudden emergency was so extreme that no degree of pilot skill would have helped.

Airline pilots are now slowly, too slowly, being given access to flight simulators able to reproduce sudden and unexpected upsets.

People will always scratch and save if a sudden burst of unrestrained pleasure can be purchased.

Liu had been married just two months before and his wife now stood in this Brooklyn hospital, a sudden widow because of a madman.

The noise of his slumbers culminated in a sudden, choking grunt, and abruptly ceased.

The sudden pall of darkness in this strange house of mystery was just a tiny bit awesome.

While you were admiring the long roll of the wave, a sudden spray would be dashed over you, and make you catch your breath!

They were a well-matched pair; iron-nerved, both of them, the sort of men to face sudden death open-eyed and unafraid.

Aristide, aglow with a sudden impudent inspiration, leant across the marble table.

Related Words

Words related to sudden are not direct synonyms, but are associated with the word sudden . Browse related words to learn more about word associations.

adjective as in happening suddenly and unexpectedly

  • unanticipated
  • unceremonious

adjective as in very important

adjective as in severe, intense

  • distressing
  • excruciating
  • overpowering
  • overwhelming

adjective as in exciting, moving

  • breathtaking
  • electrifying
  • melodramatic
  • sensational
  • suspenseful

adjective as in brief, transient

  • flash in the pan
  • impermanent
  • short-lived

Viewing 5 / 29 related words

From Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.

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Synonyms and antonyms of sudden in English

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to do something or go somewhere very slowly, taking more time than is necessary

Like a bull in a china shop: talking about people who are clumsy

Like a bull in a china shop: talking about people who are clumsy

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Anything sudden is abrupt, quick, or unexpected. A sudden rain shower during your picnic is disappointing, while a sudden drop-off in the road ahead can be dangerous if you're on your skateboard.

The stock market might take a sudden dive, panicking investors, or your favorite TV show could make a sudden change in plot, confusing you for a couple of episodes. Sudden has been used as an adjective since the 15th century, and it was once a noun, too, meaning "that which is sudden ." Today the noun form is obsolete, except in the phrase "all of a sudden."

  • adjective happening without warning or in a short space of time “a sudden storm” “a sudden decision” “a sudden cure” synonyms: fast acting or moving or capable of acting or moving quickly abrupt exceedingly sudden and unexpected choppy , jerky marked by abrupt transitions emergent occurring unexpectedly and requiring urgent action explosive sudden and loud fulminant sudden and severe sharp very sudden and in great amount or degree see more see less antonyms: gradual proceeding in small stages slow not moving quickly; taking a comparatively long time bit-by-bit , in small stages , piecemeal , step-by-step , stepwise one thing at a time gradational , gradatory , graduated taking place by degrees show more antonyms...

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occurring without notice or warning; unforeseen. , , , , , ,
sharp, abrupt, or rapid. , , , , , , , , , , ,
, , , , ,
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suddenly (adv.), suddenness (n.)
 
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Thesaurus for Sudden

Related terms for sudden - synonyms, antonyms and sentences with sudden, similar meaning.

  • precipitate
  • precipitous
  • instantaneous
  • unanticipated
  • unlooked-for
  • expeditious

Opposite meaning

  • anticipated
  • foreshadowing
  • as expected
  • gradational
  • foreseeable
  • step-by-step
  • incremental
  • progressive

Common usage

  • sentimental
  • crucialness
  • little dangerous
  • happy surprise
  • difference maker
  • just one of those things
  • scared out of wits
  • fundamental principle
  • slipshod about
  • slapdash about
  • violent movie
  • do at the drop of a hat
  • beat to the punch
  • hairpin bend
  • keystone species
  • under the gun

Sentence Examples

Proper usage in context.

  • Even the bravest men are frightened by sudden terrors Publius Cornelius Tacitus
  • Stung by the splendor of a sudden thought Robert Browning
  • Sudden friendship, sure repentance
  • From wine what sudden friendship springs? John Gay
  • Creativity is the sudden cessation of stupidity Edwin H. Land

How to Use sudden in a Sentence

  • The director's sudden departure leaves the organization's future uncertain.

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sudden.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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IMAGES

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COMMENTS

  1. Synonyms for Urgent assignment

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  3. SUDDEN Synonyms: 17 Similar and Opposite Words

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  7. What is another word for sudden

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  9. SUDDEN

    SUDDEN - Synonyms, related words and examples | Cambridge English Thesaurus

  10. SUDDEN

    sudden adjective. In the sense of occurring or done quickly and unexpectedly or without warning a sudden downpour took us by surprise Synonyms unexpected • unforeseen • unanticipated • unlooked-for • without warning • without notice • not bargained for • immediate • instantaneous • instant • precipitous • precipitate ...

  11. Synonyms for Sudden work

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  12. What is another word for sudden change

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  13. Sudden

    Anything sudden is abrupt, quick, or unexpected. A sudden rain shower during your picnic is disappointing, while a sudden drop-off in the road ahead can be dangerous if you're on your skateboard. ... synonyms: fast. acting or moving or capable of acting or moving quickly. abrupt. ... Assignments & Activities; My Lists. Find a List to Learn ...

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    Synonyms for ASSIGNMENTS: tasks, duties, jobs, projects, chores, missions, responsibilities, functions; Antonyms of ASSIGNMENTS: dismissals, firings, discharges ...

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    Synonyms for ASSIGNMENTS: distributions, nominations, divisions, authorizations, appointments, designations, allotments, allocations, tasks, homeworks, jobs ...

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  17. sudden

    definition 1: occurring without notice or warning; unforeseen. The sudden clap of thunder frightened us all. We were puzzled by his sudden decision to quit. The announcement of their marriage was sudden and surprised both their families. synonyms: abrupt, surprising, unexpected, unforeseen, unlooked-for. similar words:

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  19. Examples of 'Sudden' in a Sentence

    All of a sudden, in November of last year, the money was gone. There was a fold-out couch in the recovery room, and when Pesch closed it, there was a sudden, loud sound. All of a sudden, the thorny question has turned into a hair on fire problem. The sudden loss of sunlight has second- and third-order effects too.