sudden

[suhd-n]

adjective

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

   a sudden attack.

   Antonyms: gradual

2. occurring without transition from the previous form, state, etc.; abrupt.

   a sudden turn.

   Antonyms: gradual

3. impetuous; rash.

4. Archaic.,  quickly made or provided.

5. Obsolete.,  unpremeditated.

adverb

1. Literary.,  without warning; suddenly.

noun

1. Obsolete.,  an unexpected occasion or occurrence.

sudden

/ ˈsʌdən /

adjective

1. occurring or performed quickly and without warning

2. marked by haste; abrupt

3. rare,  rash; precipitate

noun

1. archaic,  an abrupt occurrence or the occasion of such an occurrence (in the phrase on a sudden )

2. without warning; unexpectedly

adverb

1. poetic,  without warning; suddenly

Other Word Forms

• suddenness noun
• suddenly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of sudden¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English adjective and adverb sodain, soden, sodan(e), from Middle French soudain, from Vulgar Latin subitānus, from Latin subitāneus “going or coming stealthily,” equivalent to subitus “sudden, arising without warning” + -āneus composite adjective suffix, equivalent to -ānus + -eus; subito, -an, -eous

Word History and Origins

Origin of sudden¹

C13: via French from Late Latin subitāneus, from Latin subitus unexpected, from subīre to happen unexpectedly, from sub- secretly + īre to go

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. all of a sudden, without warning; unexpectedly; suddenly. Also on a sudden

see all of a sudden.

Synonym Study

Sudden, unexpected, abrupt describe acts, events, or conditions for which there has been no preparation or gradual approach. Sudden refers to the quickness of an occurrence, although the event may have been expected: a sudden change in the weather. Unexpected emphasizes the lack of preparedness for what occurs or appears: an unexpected crisis. Abrupt characterizes something involving a swift adjustment; the effect is often unpleasant, unfavorable, or the cause of dismay: He had an abrupt change in manner. The road came to an abrupt end.

Example Sentences

"All of a sudden, now people want to be patriotic," she said.

From BBC

The mortgage market reacted in real time to the UK-specific sudden crisis.

From BBC

“It is elegiac, but it isn’t weepy,” John said of the film when he first scored it, never imagining the sudden tragic fate of his young friend.

From Los Angeles Times

Gauff made what she described as a "sudden decision" after hitting 16 double faults in her Cincinnati exit against Italy's Jasmine Paolini.

From BBC

There are many illustrations of how curious Martin's decision-making is right now, and the sudden praise for a captain he has dropped is part of it.

From BBC

Related Words

• abrupt 
• hasty 
• immediate 
• precipitous 
• quick 
• rapid 
• swift 
• unforeseen 
• unusual