sudden death

American  

noun

Sports.

1. an overtime period in which a tied contest is won and play is stopped immediately after one of the contestants scores, as in football, or goes ahead, as in golf.

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sudden death British  

noun

1. (in sports, etc) an extra game or contest to decide the winner of a tied competition

2. an unexpected or quick death

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Other Word Forms

• sudden-death
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of sudden death

First recorded in 1825–35

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

sudden death

Earl Spencer's emotional and defiant speech at her funeral added to that cloud of grievance hanging over Diana's sudden death.

From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026

Not the fire, not the sudden death, not the exhausting fight to get back home.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 1, 2026

Graham entered politics just six weeks ago, when she was appointed to fill the Senate seat vacated by the sudden death of her brother, Lindsey Graham.

From Slate ● Aug. 26, 2026

While her sudden death at the age of 36 is nothing but tragic, I question the DEA’s involvement as a good use of federal resources.

From Salon ● Aug. 22, 2026

In my hand I held the tract containing the sudden death of the Liar, to which narrative my attention had been pointed as to an appropriate warning.

From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë