fatal

adjective

ˈfā-tᵊl How to pronounce fatal (audio)
Definition of fatalnext
1
as in disastrous
bringing about ruin or misfortune I made the fatal mistake of sharing my secret with the office's biggest blabbermouth

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in lethal
likely to cause or capable of causing death that snake's venom is fatal unless the victim is given the antidote almost immediately

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective fatal differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of fatal are deadly, lethal, and mortal. While all these words mean "causing or capable of causing death," fatal stresses the inevitability of what has in fact resulted in death or destruction.

fatal consequences

When is it sensible to use deadly instead of fatal?

While the synonyms deadly and fatal are close in meaning, deadly applies to an established or very likely cause of death.

a deadly disease

When would lethal be a good substitute for fatal?

The meanings of lethal and fatal largely overlap; however, lethal applies to something that is bound to cause death or exists for the destruction of life.

lethal gas

When might mortal be a better fit than fatal?

The synonyms mortal and fatal are sometimes interchangeable, but mortal implies that death has occurred or is inevitable.

a mortal wound

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of fatal The suit accused Clenney of battery and alleged that the condominium, property management and security defendants failed to provide adequate security despite circumstances the estate claimed made the fatal attack foreseeable. — Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 10 Aug. 2026 The book says that Davis obtained a handgun from an associate and tossed it into the back seat of the Cadillac but did not say who fired the fatal shots. — Jessica Hill, Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2026 In an academic article published in June, a team of researchers from New York and Boston highlighted the case of a 6-month old girl in New York diagnosed with Batten disease, a rare, fatal genetic condition that impacts the nervous system. — Brad Quick, CNBC, 10 Aug. 2026 Though Anderson has long been suspected of being the gunman who fired the fatal shots that killed Shakur, his uncle, Davis, who was seated in the white Cadillac, had also been implicated in the drive-by shooting. — Marlow Stern, Variety, 10 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for fatal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fatal
  1. disastrous
  2. lethal
  3. catastrophic
  4. deadly
  5. unfortunate
Adjective
  • After a disastrous road trip and traumatic trade deadline, Washington earned a feel-good victory.
    — Noah White, Washington Post, 8 Aug. 2026
  • After a disastrous stint in Carolina and a one-year return to coaching as Stanford’s interim coach in 2025, Frank Reich arrived with a fresh perspective as the Jets’ offensive coordinator.
    — Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of disastrous
Adjective
  • Nothing is perfect, as the conductor of potentially lethal vehicles that, in some ways, defy physics.
    — John Werner, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • The church has no difficulty prescribing specifics when the subject is autonomous lethal weapons.
    — Foreign Affairs, Foreign Affairs, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of lethal
Adjective
  • Mount Krakatoa, an island volcano in what is now Indonesia, entered its catastrophic eruption phase.
    — USA Today, USA Today, 11 Aug. 2026
  • The new setting hinges on those three revelations turning catastrophic.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of catastrophic
Adjective
  • Davis was charged with murder with the use of a deadly weapon with the intent to promote, further or assist a criminal gang.
    — Sasha Pezenik, ABC News, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Attacks on Wildberries’ warehouses last month killed at least eight people in a single day which, up until Monday’s strike on Nizhnekamsk, was the deadliest Ukrainian attack inside Russia.
    — Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of deadly
Adjective
  • But Michael Pentecost, a Royse City resident who was not at the swimming pool, called the situation unfortunate.
    — Marvin Hurst, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • This unfortunate incident significantly complicates FC Barcelona's squad planning.
    — Tom Sanderson, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of unfortunate

Browse Nearby Words

fat
fatal
fatalist
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Cite this Entry

“Fatal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fatal. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on fatal

Nglish: Translation of fatal for Spanish Speakers

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