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

She says most people's idea of death comes from dramatic scenes in films or a sudden death.

From BBC • May 2, 2026

The Dodgers’ Miguel Rojas won’t take bereavement leave or travel back to his native Venezuela following the sudden death of his father, Miguel Rojas Sr., manager Dave Roberts said before the game.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 11, 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

As a child, Turner had once tried to persuade himself that preventing his mother’s sudden death by avoiding the pavement cracks outside his school playground was a nonsense.

From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan