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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
On December 13, 1923, a few months after President Warren G. Harding’s sudden death propelled then-Vice President Coolidge into office, the new commander in chief invited the Committee of One Hundred to the White House.
—Francine Uenuma, Smithsonian Magazine, 29 May 2024
Cameron Boyce is gone but not forgotten, five years after his sudden death at 20 from a seizure caused by his epilepsy.
—Shania Russell, EW.com, 28 May 2024
The story revolves around Talcott Garland (Grantham Coleman), a law professor whose life is upended by the sudden death of his judge father (Forest Whitaker), a tragedy in which Talcott’s sister Mariah (Tiffany Mack), a former journalist, believes something fishy may be at play.
—Lucy Ford, TIME, 23 May 2024
But his sudden death has created uncertainty at a time when tensions in the region are already high.
—NPR, 20 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for sudden death
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
Articles Related to sudden death
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 10 Jun. 2024.
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
Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for sudden death
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