sudden death

noun

1
: unexpected death that is instantaneous or occurs within minutes from any cause other than violence
sudden death following coronary occlusion
2
: extra play to break a tie in a sports contest in which the first to score or gain the lead wins

Examples of sudden death in a Sentence

We won 27–24 in sudden death. a serious heart condition that can result in sudden death
Recent Examples on the Web Following the actor's sudden death, Rizzo understandably went through a period of mourning for her husband. Jp Mangalindan, Peoplemag, 14 Sep. 2023 Autopsy results on former American swimming champion Jamie Cail reveal her sudden death this year at her residence in the U.S. Virgin Islands was caused by an accidental drug overdose, authorities said. Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 30 Aug. 2023 Alongside her bandmates—cellist Lester St. Louis, bassist Jason Ajemian, and drummer Chad Taylor—the jazz trumpeter recorded most of the album in April 2022, at the Bemis Center for Contemporary Art in Omaha, Nebraska, before her sudden death that August. Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 25 Aug. 2023 This month marks 50 years since Bruce Lee’s sudden death at the age of 32, and likewise the semicentennial anniversary of his highest-profile feature, Enter the Dragon. Ryan Gajewski, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Aug. 2023 After the sudden death of a town’s mayor, Pierre (Manenti), an idealistic young doctor, is appointed to replace him. Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Sep. 2023 The film opens with a technique used to great effect in more prestige-y horror movies like The Quiet Place and Hereditary: the sudden death of a child. Vulture, 8 Sep. 2023 If the heart rhythm isn’t quickly restored, sudden death can occur. Christopher Desimone, M.d., Ph.d. Mayo Foundation For Medical Education and Research, Chicago Tribune, 4 Aug. 2023 The emotional response to the raid was heightened by the sudden death of the editor’s 98-year-old mother, who had railed furiously at the officers sorting through her belongings at their home and collapsed a day later. Jonathan O'Connell, Paul Farhi and Sofia Andrade, Anchorage Daily News, 26 Aug. 2023 See More

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

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of sudden death was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near sudden death

Cite this Entry

“Sudden death.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sudden%20death. Accessed 3 Oct. 2023.

Kids Definition

sudden death

noun
: extra play to break a tie in a sports contest in which the first to score or gain the lead wins

Medical Definition

sudden death

noun
: unexpected death that is instantaneous or occurs within minutes or hours from any cause other than violence
sudden death following coronary occlusion
especially : sudden cardiac death

More from Merriam-Webster on sudden death

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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