sudden death

noun

1
: unexpected death that is instantaneous or occurs within minutes from any cause other than violence
sudden death following coronary occlusion
2
: extra play to break a tie in a sports contest in which the first to score or gain the lead wins

Examples of sudden death in a Sentence

We won 27–24 in sudden death. a serious heart condition that can result in sudden death
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Jesus Guerrero’s family is thanking Kylie Jenner for her help following the hairstylist’s sudden death. Charna Flam, People.com, 26 Feb. 2025 Receiving the ball first has become more of an advantage than before 2011, when overtime was sudden death. Rob Maaddi, Chicago Tribune, 26 Feb. 2025 Her great-grandmom’s sudden death due to the then untreatable disease tuberculosis caused all those hardships. Sweta Kaushal, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2025 Investigators set out to learn the truth about Michael Cochran's sudden death. Doc Louallen, ABC News, 14 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for sudden death

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of sudden death was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Entries

Cite this Entry

“Sudden death.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sudden%20death. Accessed 2 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

sudden death

noun
: extra play to break a tie in a sports contest in which the first to score or gain the lead wins

Medical Definition

sudden death

noun
: unexpected death that is instantaneous or occurs within minutes or hours from any cause other than violence
sudden death following coronary occlusion
especially : sudden cardiac death

More from Merriam-Webster on sudden death

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!