sudden

sudden — adjective

1. describes something that happens so fast that people are caught off guard becaus

1.adjectiveA2
Definition

describes something that happens so fast that people are caught off guard because they did not see it coming

Example

A sudden gust of wind blew Ilan's hat off as he crossed the street.

sudden + concrete noun (gust of wind)

When Hari arrived late, a sudden clap of thunder startled everyone.

Common collocations
  • sudden change
  • sudden death
  • sudden stop
  • sudden movement
  • sudden decision
  • sudden attack
  • sudden burst
  • sudden turn
  • sudden shift
  • sudden drop
  • sudden surge
  • sudden illness
Synonyms
  • abrupt

    stronger sense of being cut short or curt; often used with endings (abrupt halt, abrupt departure)

  • unexpected

    broader in meaning; something can be unexpected without being fast (an unexpected gift)

  • swift

    focuses on speed rather than surprise; can be planned (a swift response)

Antonyms
  • gradual

    opposite in terms of speed; happening slowly over time

  • expected

    opposite in terms of surprise; anticipated in advance

Grammar Patterns

sudden + noun

Usage Note

Used mainly before a noun (a sudden change, a sudden stop). In predicative position — for example, 'The change was sudden' — the words 'unexpected' or 'abrupt' often sound more natural in everyday speech.

Common Mistakes

He sudden left the room.
He suddenly left the room.
'sudden' is an adjective; the adverb 'suddenly' is needed to modify a verb.
Idioms

all of a sudden

idiom

used when an event takes place so fast and without any warning that those involved are surprised by it

All of a sudden, the sky turned dark and heavy rain started falling on the street.

Roya was reading quietly when all of a sudden the phone rang loudly.

sudden — noun

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

Sudden, abrupt, unexpected, swift, and hasty all describe events that take people by surprise, but with different emphases. 'Sudden' highlights the combination of speed and lack of warning — a sudden storm arrives fast with no visible signs. 'Abrupt' adds a sense of being cut short or curt, often with a negative tone: an abrupt ending feels unfinished or even rude. 'Unexpected' is the broadest term — anything not anticipated can be unexpected, whether it happens fast (an unexpected question) or slowly (an unexpected inheritance arriving by mail). 'Swift' focuses on speed alone and applies to planned actions too (a swift reply to an email). 'Hasty' carries a note of carelessness — a hasty decision is made too quickly without enough thought. For everyday use, 'sudden' fits most situations involving fast, surprising events; choose 'unexpected' when the surprise matters more than the speed.

sudden ↗abruptunexpected ↗swift ↗hasty

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'sudden' entered English from Old French 'sodain', meaning 'hasty' or 'unexpected'. The Old French term came from Latin 'subitaneus', which is built on 'subitus' — meaning 'something that comes stealthily or creeps up'. The Latin root 'subitus' itself comes from 'subire', a combination of 'sub' (under, up to) and 'ire' (to go), so the original image is of something that 'comes up from under' — sneaking up on you without warning.