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sudden death

/ˌsʌdn dɛθ/
IPA guide

Other forms: sudden deaths

In sports, sudden death is a way to break a tie and end the game. A sudden death round is over as soon as one team (or player) scores a point.

While sudden death might sound deadly serious, its only casualty is the abrupt loss of the game by one of its competitors. Sports that use this kind of tiebreaker include golf, ice hockey, rugby, and tennis. The details vary depending on the specific sport, but sudden death is typically used when a game goes past the usual time limit and the teams are tied. As soon as a point is scored, breaking the tie, the game ends.

Definitions of sudden death
  1. noun
    (sports) overtime in which play is stopped as soon as one contestant scores; e.g. football and golf
    see moresee less
    type of:
    extra time, overtime
    playing time beyond regulation, to break a tie
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