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

His sudden death has devastated his family and fellow car enthusiasts.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

When Sangha heard news reports about Perry's sudden death, she tried to cover her tracks.

From Barron's • Apr. 8, 2026

It was only after Huber’s sudden death that his daughter sold the brand to Estée Lauder in 1995.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 18, 2026

When Rupert’s children watched its too-close-for-comfort version of the chaos following Logan Roy’s sudden death, they leapt to nail down their family’s succession plan before it was too late.

From Salon • Mar. 14, 2026

And despite her misgivings about the religious ramifications, Emma not only agreed she would publish this draft in case of his sudden death, she also helped him make it better.

From "Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith" by Deborah Heiligman