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
The ongoing oxygen deprivation can lead to a host of serious medical conditions, such as high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, heart attack, heart failure, stroke and arrhythmias, a disruption in heart rhythm that can lead to sudden death, according to the Mayo Clinic.
—
Sandee Lamotte, CNN, 4 Apr. 2024
The 'Taken' star and 'The Parent Trap' actress’ 16-year love story was tragically cut short by Richardson’s sudden death in 2009
Liam Neeson and Natasha Richardson's romance first sparked onstage in 1993.
—Sophie Dodd, Peoplemag, 19 Mar. 2024
After his sudden death, however, Navalnaya quickly seized the role of successor, delivering two blistering speeches condemning Putin and his supporters as murderers and cowards, and vowing to fight for her husband’s dream of a normal, democratic and happy Russia.
—Francesca Ebel, Washington Post, 20 Feb. 2024
Less than a year before Suzanne passed, their family was faced with the sudden death of their 37-year-old son, John Passaro.
—Maham Javaid, Washington Post, 28 Mar. 2024
Christine Brown Says ‘Every Photo with Garrison’ Is ‘Infinitely More Important Than Ever’ After His Death
Earlier this month, Christine's former sister wife, Janelle Brown, announced her son Garrison's sudden death at age 25 in a statement shared to Instagram.
—Esther Kang, Peoplemag, 21 Mar. 2024
In light of her brother Garrison Brown's sudden death, Maddie Brown is emphasizing the importance of mental health with her followers.
—Esther Kang, Peoplemag, 18 Mar. 2024
Asked to evaluate several false claims about COVID-19 and vaccines, about a third of respondents thought the false claim that COVID-19 vaccines have caused thousands of sudden deaths in otherwise healthy people is either definitely or probably true.
—Chris Mueller, USA TODAY, 15 Mar. 2024
Eisner works from coroner’s rolls, pieces of old parchment, stitched together, on which clerks wrote descriptions in Latin of sudden deaths in the neighborhood.
—Sam Knight, The New Yorker, 12 Mar. 2024
Sandee Lamotte, CNN, 4 Apr. 2024
The 'Taken' star and 'The Parent Trap' actress’ 16-year love story was tragically cut short by Richardson’s sudden death in 2009
Liam Neeson and Natasha Richardson's romance first sparked onstage in 1993.
—Sophie Dodd, Peoplemag, 19 Mar. 2024
After his sudden death, however, Navalnaya quickly seized the role of successor, delivering two blistering speeches condemning Putin and his supporters as murderers and cowards, and vowing to fight for her husband’s dream of a normal, democratic and happy Russia.
—Francesca Ebel, Washington Post, 20 Feb. 2024
Less than a year before Suzanne passed, their family was faced with the sudden death of their 37-year-old son, John Passaro.
—Maham Javaid, Washington Post, 28 Mar. 2024
Christine Brown Says ‘Every Photo with Garrison’ Is ‘Infinitely More Important Than Ever’ After His Death
Earlier this month, Christine's former sister wife, Janelle Brown, announced her son Garrison's sudden death at age 25 in a statement shared to Instagram.
—Esther Kang, Peoplemag, 21 Mar. 2024
In light of her brother Garrison Brown's sudden death, Maddie Brown is emphasizing the importance of mental health with her followers.
—Esther Kang, Peoplemag, 18 Mar. 2024
Asked to evaluate several false claims about COVID-19 and vaccines, about a third of respondents thought the false claim that COVID-19 vaccines have caused thousands of sudden deaths in otherwise healthy people is either definitely or probably true.
—Chris Mueller, USA TODAY, 15 Mar. 2024
Eisner works from coroner’s rolls, pieces of old parchment, stitched together, on which clerks wrote descriptions in Latin of sudden deaths in the neighborhood.
—Sam Knight, The New Yorker, 12 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sudden death.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Sudden death.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sudden%20death. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.
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