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.

---

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

---

Other Word Forms

• sudden-death
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of sudden death

First recorded in 1825–35

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

sudden death

We start this week in Washington, where lawmakers are reeling from the sudden death of Sen. Lindsey Graham over the weekend.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 13, 2026

The event had raised over £600 for 2wish, a charity that supports families affected by sudden death in young people.

From BBC ● Jun. 29, 2026

As news of Tree’s death circulated, numerous music stars paid tribute, including “Buy U a Drank” hitmaker T-Pain, who shared that he and Tree had connected before the singer’s sudden death.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 29, 2026

A third-act twist or sudden death can change a viewer’s overall perception of a movie in an instant.

From Salon ● Jun. 10, 2026

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

From "Gathering Blue" by Lois Lowry