Commonly Confused

'All over sudden' vs. 'All of a sudden'

We'll help you figure it out at once

illustration of a man watching a washing machine overflow

Up Next

Title

CANCEL

illustration of a man watching a washing machine overflow

884,092 views

Featuring: Emily Brewster

Is the correct phrase 'all over sudden' or 'all of a sudden'? Senior Editor Emily Brewster explains.

Transcript

Sometimes a word that sounds like the right word and feels like the right word isn't actually the right word. It's an eggcorn. Something that happens sooner than expected doesn't happen "all over sudden," it happens "all of a sudden." Sudden here is an obsolete noun meaning an unexpected occurrence.

Up Next

Autoplay