crib death
noun
variants
US crib death
or British cot death
: death of a baby while sleeping that occurs for no known reason : sudden infant death syndrome
… in the conditions of early modern Europe, crib death was all too real.—
Simon Schama
Simon SchamaExamples of crib death in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Death typically occurs during sleep and is sometimes known as crib death.
—Adrianna Rodriguez, USA Today, 10 May 2025
Linda was their only surviving child, born in 1940, after the Oppens had endured a series of stillbirths and a crib death.
—A.o. Scott, New York Times, 23 Jan. 2025
Grief ripped the family apart in 1976 when Marlon’s baby brother Tara died of crib death at 10 weeks old.
—Marissa Charles, Peoplemag, 2 May 2024
Most of the time, SIDS, sometimes called crib death, happens during sleep.
—Nada Hassanein, USA TODAY, 30 May 2023
It is pronounced a crib death (what would come to be called SIDS).
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 30 May 2023
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Adrianna Rodriguez, USA Today, 10 May 2025
Linda was their only surviving child, born in 1940, after the Oppens had endured a series of stillbirths and a crib death.
—A.o. Scott, New York Times, 23 Jan. 2025
Grief ripped the family apart in 1976 when Marlon’s baby brother Tara died of crib death at 10 weeks old.
—Marissa Charles, Peoplemag, 2 May 2024
Most of the time, SIDS, sometimes called crib death, happens during sleep.
—Nada Hassanein, USA TODAY, 30 May 2023
It is pronounced a crib death (what would come to be called SIDS).
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 30 May 2023
Cite this Entry
“Crib death.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crib%20death. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share