- happening or done quickly and unexpectedly
- News of his sudden and unexpected death came as a great shock.
- a sudden change in temperature
- There were several sudden bursts of gunfire outside.
- It was only decided yesterday. It's all been very sudden.
- Don't make any sudden movements.
- His death was very sudden.
Oxford Collocations DictionarySudden is used with these nouns:- acceleration
- alarm
- anger
- …
Word OriginMiddle English: from Anglo-Norman French sudein, from an alteration of Latin subitaneus, from subitus ‘sudden’.
Idioms
See sudden in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee sudden in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic Englishall of a sudden
- quickly and unexpectedly
- All of a sudden someone grabbed me around the neck.
Check pronunciation:
sudden