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

For Doncaster couple Nathan and Fiona Robinson, the wait between their two-year-old son Alfie's sudden death and his post-mortem examination taking place was seven months.

From BBC • May 29, 2026

She presents her daughter’s sudden death in crisp, often tart prose that cannot mask the ache that lurks beneath the surface.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 8, 2026

The memoir “Loved & Lost” that Carrie wrote about Mr. Big’s sudden death is also for sale, as is the manuscript.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 28, 2026

Charles also made an emotional return to I'm A Celebrity after being forced to withdraw from the same series following the sudden death of his brother.

From BBC • Apr. 24, 2026

A sudden death, he had explained, the way death often came to those of great age.

From "Gathering Blue" by Lois Lowry