Sudden: meaning, definitions and examples

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sudden

 

[ ˈsʌdən ]

Adjective / Noun / Adverb
Oxford 3000
Context #1 | Adjective

unexpected change

happening, coming, made, or done quickly, without warning or unexpectedly

Synonyms

abrupt, quick, rapid, unexpected

Examples of usage

  • a sudden change in the weather
  • He died a sudden death
  • She had a sudden urge to laugh
Context #2 | Noun

unexpected event

an unexpected event that happens quickly and without warning

Synonyms

bombshell, shock, surprise

Examples of usage

  • The car came to a sudden stop
  • The news of his resignation came as a sudden shock
Context #3 | Adverb

quickly and unexpectedly

quickly and unexpectedly

Synonyms

abruptly, quickly, unexpectedly

Examples of usage

  • She stopped sudden and looked around
  • The bird flew sudden from the tree

Translations

Translations of the word "sudden" in other languages:

🇵🇹 repentino

🇮🇳 अचानक

🇩🇪 plötzlich

🇮🇩 tiba-tiba

🇺🇦 раптовий

🇵🇱 nagły

🇯🇵 突然の (とつぜんの)

🇫🇷 soudain

🇪🇸 repentino

🇹🇷 ani

🇰🇷 갑작스러운

🇸🇦 مفاجئ

🇨🇿 náhlý

🇸🇰 náhly

🇨🇳 突然的 (tūrán de)

🇸🇮 nenaden

🇮🇸 skyndilegur

🇰🇿 кенет

🇬🇪 უეცარი

🇦🇿 ani

🇲🇽 repentino

Etymology

The word 'sudden' originated from the Middle English word 'sodeyn', which came from the Old French 'sodain', ultimately from the Latin 'subitāneus', meaning 'sudden, unexpected'. The sense of 'happening without warning' has been in use since the 14th century.

Word Frequency Rank

At position #2,584, this word belongs to solid intermediate vocabulary. It's frequently used in both casual and formal contexts and is worth learning for better fluency.