Sudden or unexpected; curt or brusque in speech or manner (adjective)
USA Today Rootonym clue · 6 letters · last seen August 20, 2026
Answer
ABRUPT
The Root
RUPTmeans “break, burst”
In a sentence: Ellen came to an ABRUPT stop when the car in front of her swerved to avoid a child.
About this clue
The Rootonym clue “Sudden or unexpected; curt or brusque in speech or manner (adjective)” has the answer ABRUPT (6 letters), built on the root RUPT, which means “break, burst”. See the full August 20, 2026 Rootonym puzzle for the other three words, or browse all Rootonym answers.