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

But when the pressure was at its highest, Henseleit produced a stunning birdie to take the competition to sudden death. — Caoimhe O'Neill, New York Times, 2 Aug. 2026

The Year of Magical Thinking Joan Didion, 2005 Didion’s account of her husband’s sudden death captures the strange logic of grief with great precision. — The Week Uk, TheWeek, 31 July 2026

In February 1952, while on an official trip to Kenya with Prince Philip, the young Princess Elizabeth learned of the sudden death of her father, King George VI. — Mathilde Engelmann, Vanity Fair, 31 July 2026

Publicly and privately, the president has been musing about aging and fate after his friend’s sudden death. — Dan Diamond, Washington Post, 28 July 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