1
a
: causing death
a fatal crash
a fatal disease
a fatal wound
b
: bringing ruin
a fatal attraction to gambling
c
: causing failure
a fatal design flaw
Lack of sufficient support was fatal to his campaign.
2
a
: determining one's fate
the fatal flaw in this dazzling woman: a total lack of taste—
Marya Mannes
Marya Mannes
b
: of or relating to fate
… this science sets a fatal necessity on things …—H. O. Taylor
H. O. Taylor
c
: resembling fate in proceeding according to a fixed sequence
3
: fateful
a fatal hour
4
obsolete
: fated
Synonyms
Examples of fatal in a Sentence
a disease that is often fatal
a chemical that can be fatal to birds
She made a fatal mistake.
Recent Examples on the Web
Dozens of advocates urged board members to close the halls, detailing a litany of scandals in the last year, including eight probation officers placed on leave after allegedly watching a youth get beaten and the fatal overdose of an 18-year-old.
—Rebecca Ellis, Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2024
The fatal bullet was never recovered from the scene.
—Timothy H.j. Nerozzi Fox News, Fox News, 12 Apr. 2024
Earlier, there were two crashes on I-75, one fatal, both near 8 Mile, at about the same time, and closing the freeway for at least 30 minutes while first responders treated those involved and investigated what caused the damage.
—Detroit Free Press, 12 Apr. 2024
Tyrrell Prison Work Farm in eastern North Carolina will be equipped with security cameras after a June assault that proved fatal.
—Ryan Oehrli, Charlotte Observer, 12 Apr. 2024
However, that 2015 study, led by a University of Missouri engineering professor, also found 4.8% of all fatal and injury crashes occurring at the ramp terminal of a diverging diamond were wrong-way crashes.
—Tom Daykin, Journal Sentinel, 11 Apr. 2024
Preliminary findings point to the fatal tragedy being an accident.
—Syra Ortiz Blanes, Miami Herald, 11 Apr. 2024
The prosecutors also showed evidence that Gutierrez Reed was responsible for the fatal error of inadvertently bringing six live bullets to set, mixed among dummy rounds.
—Gene Maddaus, Variety, 11 Apr. 2024
Ever since the vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna were authorized in late 2020, anti-vaccination groups in the U.S. have blamed the shots for fatal heart problems in young athletes.
—Berkeley Lovelace Jr., NBC News, 11 Apr. 2024
Rebecca Ellis, Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2024
The fatal bullet was never recovered from the scene.
—Timothy H.j. Nerozzi Fox News, Fox News, 12 Apr. 2024
Earlier, there were two crashes on I-75, one fatal, both near 8 Mile, at about the same time, and closing the freeway for at least 30 minutes while first responders treated those involved and investigated what caused the damage.
—Detroit Free Press, 12 Apr. 2024
Tyrrell Prison Work Farm in eastern North Carolina will be equipped with security cameras after a June assault that proved fatal.
—Ryan Oehrli, Charlotte Observer, 12 Apr. 2024
However, that 2015 study, led by a University of Missouri engineering professor, also found 4.8% of all fatal and injury crashes occurring at the ramp terminal of a diverging diamond were wrong-way crashes.
—Tom Daykin, Journal Sentinel, 11 Apr. 2024
Preliminary findings point to the fatal tragedy being an accident.
—Syra Ortiz Blanes, Miami Herald, 11 Apr. 2024
The prosecutors also showed evidence that Gutierrez Reed was responsible for the fatal error of inadvertently bringing six live bullets to set, mixed among dummy rounds.
—Gene Maddaus, Variety, 11 Apr. 2024
Ever since the vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna were authorized in late 2020, anti-vaccination groups in the U.S. have blamed the shots for fatal heart problems in young athletes.
—Berkeley Lovelace Jr., NBC News, 11 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'fatal.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Articles Related to fatal
Dictionary Entries Near fatal
Cite this Entry
“Fatal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fatal. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
Medical Definition
Legal Definition
fatal
adjective
fa·tal
1
: causing failure of a legal claim or cause of action
a fatal defect in the proceedings—W. R. LaFave and J. H. Israel
W. R. LaFave and J. H. Israel2
: making something (as a contract) invalid or unenforceable
there is a fatal indefiniteness with the result that the agreement is void—J. D. Calamari and J. M. Perillo
J. D. Calamari and J. M. Perillo
fatally
adverb
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