Definitions

sudden death

NOUN

unexplained death

Synonyms

WEAK

deathblow early death premature death stroke of death tiebreaker untimely end

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

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

Lead paediatric and perinatal pathologist Cohen currently handles 85% of the sudden death cases.

From BBC • May 29, 2026

An abrupt removal of Castro, or his sudden death, could also spark an internal struggle for power.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 16, 2026

Soto alleges that under Patsy and Elsy, she was denied adequate time off to grieve after the sudden death of her brother, and was told to “report to work immediately.”

From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026

He was still faithful in coming through Aunt Fanny’s sugarbush grove every morning, though she’d threatened us all with sudden death if we trespassed.

From "The Teacher’s Funeral" by Richard Peck