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

Pic follows Evans in the 10 days after bassist Scott LaFaro’s sudden death as grief, addiction and creative paralysis threaten to silence one of jazz’s great innovators. — Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 6 Oct. 2026

Isaiah Washington confirms the sudden death of his wife, Jenisa Garland, in 2025. — Leigh Blickley, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Oct. 2026

After his sudden death in 1960, Olivetti began a slow decline and was eventually broken up and merged with a telecommunications company. — E. Alex Jung, Vulture, 2 Oct. 2026

Plot summary Severance’s protagonist, Mark Scout (Adam Scott), is a former history professor who opted for the severance procedure to escape his intense grief after the sudden death of his wife, Gemma (Dichen Lachman). — Jordana Rosenfeld, Encyclopedia Britannica, 21 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for sudden death

• shibboleth
• beth
• breath
• heth
• lethe
• meth
• neath
• seth
• sheth
• sneath

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