Sudden

//ˈsʌdn̩// adj, adv, noun

adj, adv, noun ·Moderate ·High school level

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    An unexpected occurrence; a surprise. obsolete
Adjective
  1. 1
    Occurring quickly with little or no warning or expectation; instantly.

    "The sudden drop in temperature left everyone cold and confused."

  2. 2
    Hastily prepared or employed; quick; rapid. obsolete

    "Never was such a sudden scholar made."

  3. 3
    Hasty; violent; rash; precipitate. obsolete

    "I have no joy of this contract to-night: / It is too rash, too unadvised, too sudden;"

Adjective
  1. 1
    happening without warning or in a short space of time wordnet
Adverb
  1. 1
    Suddenly. poetic

    "Herbs of every leaf that sudden flowered."

Synonyms

All synonyms
abruptabackabruptabruptlyacceleratedacute

Example

More examples

"Why are you telling me about hippos all of the sudden? I don't see the connection between that and your twelve red goldfishes."

Etymology

From Middle English sodeyn, sodain, from Anglo-Norman sodein, from Old French sodain, subdain (“immediate, sudden”), from Vulgar Latin *subitānus (“sudden”), from Latin subitāneus (“sudden”), from subitus (“sudden", literally, "that which has come stealthily”), originally the past participle of subīre (“to come or go stealthily”), from sub (“under”) + īre (“go”). Doublet of subitaneous. Displaced native Old English fǣrlīċ.

Related phrases

Yunnan sudden death syndromea quick drop and a sudden stopa short drop and a sudden stopall of a suddenall of a suddenall of the suddenall on a suddenall the suddenof a suddenon a suddensudden arrhythmic death syndromesudden death

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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.