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
Around 20 to 30 percent of those with a chronic infection of the disease may experience heart issues, including heart failure—even sudden death.
—
Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025
His expertise in the Italian classics summons Nick into the orbit of a mafia don (Malkovich, playing his usual creepy villain and entirely behind a desk) and out of grief over the sudden death of his daughter and, hopefully, out of his spiritual complacency, too.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 3 Sep. 2025
The celebrity chef’s raw and darkly humorous memoir explores her family’s demise and reconstruction — through divorce, estrangements, a brother’s sudden death and another’s suicide.
—Lizz Schumer, People.com, 31 Aug. 2025
The weight of managing her father’s sudden death alongside relentless touring led her to step away from tennis entirely for eight months.
—Dilan Gomih, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sudden death
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Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Sep. 2025
His expertise in the Italian classics summons Nick into the orbit of a mafia don (Malkovich, playing his usual creepy villain and entirely behind a desk) and out of grief over the sudden death of his daughter and, hopefully, out of his spiritual complacency, too.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 3 Sep. 2025
The celebrity chef’s raw and darkly humorous memoir explores her family’s demise and reconstruction — through divorce, estrangements, a brother’s sudden death and another’s suicide.
—Lizz Schumer, People.com, 31 Aug. 2025
The weight of managing her father’s sudden death alongside relentless touring led her to step away from tennis entirely for eight months.
—Dilan Gomih, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sudden death
Cite this Entry
“Sudden death.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sudden%20death. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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