sudden

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "sudden" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe an event or occurrence that happened without warning or that happened quickly. For example, "The sudden storm caught us completely off guard."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

This, one must hope, will be the case with Trott, whatever the nature of his sudden difficulties.

The Guardian - Sport

Breathing through the anus allows nymphs to propel themselves through the water with a sudden, turbo-charged burst of speed to escape predators.

The Guardian

We cannot know yet the exact nature of his indisposition; his sudden departure suggests a serious setback.

The Guardian - Sport

The devastation wrought by the impact almost certainly explains the sudden death of the land-based dinosaurs, according to fresh analysis of the latest data.

The Guardian

They also echoed the sudden sharp rise in yes support in the closing weeks of the campaign, and confirmed what YouGov and TNS BMRB had discovered: that the referendum vote was too close to call.

The Guardian

Donors have suspended pledged aid worth $150m until Banda, who came to power in 2012 following the sudden death of president Bingu wa Mutharika, "cleans up the mess" of corruption and speedily prosecutes all suspects.

The Guardian

The overall argument in Gatherings was that concentrated graveyard gases caused instant death in man and beast; foul-smelling grounds, constantly releasing more diffused miasma, did not produce sudden death – but they debilitated those living nearby, according to their level of exposure and individual resistance.

The Guardian

"I still do not understand this sudden change of situation.

The Guardian - Sport

It is as if we are the only people on earth, until there's a sudden movement far below from one of the Amerindians, walking across a clearing in the jungle.

The Guardian - Travel

Like-for-like sales advanced every quarter under his leadership until the last one, when the revolution currently under way in the grocery business – shoppers' sudden switch to convenience stores, online services and discounters like Aldi – finally caught up with him.

The Guardian - Business

In fact I am sure that I never experienced, as a child, any kind of encounter with the sublime, that catch in the throat, that tightness of the lungs, that sudden, roaring sense of one's extreme smallness in a huge, awful, beautiful world.

The Guardian - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "sudden" to emphasize the unexpected nature of an event or change. It adds impact when describing events that occur quickly and without warning.

Common error

While "sudden" is versatile, avoid overuse in formal or academic writing where more precise terms like "abrupt", "rapid", or "unexpected" may be more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "sudden" is as an adjective, modifying nouns to describe events, changes, or actions that occur quickly and unexpectedly. Ludwig examples illustrate its use in phrases like "sudden death" and "sudden change".

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Unknown

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "sudden" is a versatile adjective used to describe events that occur quickly and unexpectedly. According to Ludwig AI, it is grammatically correct and widely usable in English. Its primary function is to add emphasis and impact by highlighting the unexpected nature of a situation. While suitable for many contexts, using more precise terms like "abrupt" or "rapid" may enhance formal writing. With high usage in news and media, it maintains a neutral tone. Remember to use "sudden" as an adjective and "suddenly" as an adverb to avoid common grammatical errors. Overall, "sudden" is a valuable word for conveying immediacy and surprise.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

abrupt

This term emphasizes an unexpected and sharp change.

unexpected

This term focuses on the lack of anticipation.

rapid

This highlights the speed at which something occurs.

instantaneous

This emphasizes the immediacy of the action.

unforeseen

This stresses the inability to predict the event.

precipitous

This conveys a sudden and steep decline or change.

unheralded

This term emphasizes the lack of prior indication.

startling

This highlights the surprise or shock caused.

swift

This emphasizes speed and promptness.

out-of-the-blue

This idiomatic phrase conveys complete unexpectedness.

FAQs

How to use "sudden" in a sentence?

You can use "sudden" to describe something that happens quickly and unexpectedly, such as "The "sudden storm" caught everyone by surprise" or "There was a "sudden change" in temperature".

What can I say instead of "sudden"?

You can use alternatives like "abrupt", "unexpected", or "rapid" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "sudden" or "suddenly"?

"Sudden" is an adjective, used to describe a noun (e.g., "sudden change"). "Suddenly" is an adverb, used to modify a verb, adjective, or another adverb (e.g., "The weather changed suddenly").

What's the difference between "sudden" and "immediate"?

"Sudden" implies something happening quickly and unexpectedly, whereas "immediate" means happening without any delay. A "sudden stop" is unexpected, while an "immediate response" is prompt but not necessarily surprising.