She knew it was fatal to try to argue with Stephen.
He made the fatal mistake of compromising early.
It would deal a fatal blow to his fading chances of success.
Synonyms: disastrous, devastating, crippling, lethal More Synonyms of fatal
fatallyadverb [ADVERB with verb]
Failure now could fatally damage his chances in the future.
2. adjective
A fatal accident or illness causes someone's death.
...the fatal stabbing of a police sergeant.
A hospital spokesman said she had suffered a fatal heart attack.
Synonyms: lethal, deadly, mortal, causing death More Synonyms of fatal
fatallyadverb [usually ADVERB with verb]
The dead soldier is reported to have been fatally wounded in the chest.
More Synonyms of fatal
fatal in British English
(ˈfeɪtəl)
adjective
1.
resulting in or capable of causing death
a fatal accident
2.
bringing ruin; disastrous
3.
decisively important; fateful
4.
decreed by fate; destined; inevitable
Word origin
C14: from Old French fatal or Latin fātālis, from fātum, see fate
fatal in American English
(ˈfeɪtəl)
adjective
1. Obsolete
fated; destined; inevitable
2.
important in its outcome; fateful; decisive
the fatal day arrived
3.
resulting in death
4.
very destructive; most unfortunate; disastrous
5.
concerned with or determining fate
SYNONYMY NOTE: fatal implies the inevitability or actual occurrence of death or disaster [a fatal disease, a fatal mistake]; deadly is applied to a thing that can and probably (but not inevitably) will cause death[a deadly poison]; mortal implies that death has occurred and is applied to the immediate cause of death [he has received a mortal blow]; lethal is applied to that which in its nature or purpose is a cause of death [a lethal weapon]
Derived forms
fatalness (ˈfatalness)
noun
Word origin
ME < OFr & < L fatalis < fatum, fate
Examples of 'fatal' in a sentence
fatal
One was given a potentially fatal insulin overdose.
The Sun (2016)
It was unclear how many solo jumps she had undertaken before her fatal accident.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
It would be a fatal blow.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
When they go wrong it can lead to potentially fatal conditions affecting organs, muscles and growth.
The Sun (2016)
Potentially fatal security flaws in ten models of pacemaker widely used in the UK have been found by researchers.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
It is the second fatal shark attack in the South Pacific territory in six months.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
They have been involved in a series of serious and fatal accidents and are popular with crime gangs because pursuing them is deemed'too risky' by police.
The Sun (2016)
It will be far from a fatal blow.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
This was the fatal flaw in the new system.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
We set up roadside crosses and flowers at the scene of fatal traffic accidents.
Christianity Today (2000)
She had already done her reputation fatal damage.
The Sun (2006)
You could have a fatal heart attack.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
What would you do after recovering from a potentially fatal brain haemorrhage?
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
This ceasefire has grown increasingly shaky in recent months with a series of fatal shootings.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
But retreat now would be a possibly fatal blow to diversity and choice.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
The fatal flaw is that their very success means nobody looks different.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Vehicles cannot gain sufficient momentum to cause a fatal accident.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
He suffered fatal brain damage due to the lack of oxygen.
The Sun (2015)
It was within a millimetre of a potentially fatal injury.
The Sun (2012)
There were three fatal shootings by officers in the year.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The design increased boot space and was cheaper but contained a fatal flaw.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
People lay flowers at the scenes of fatal accidents.
Thomas Blaikie Blaikie's Guide to Modern Manners (2005)
He also documented potentially fatal damage to the liver resulting from steroid use.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Four aircraft were involved in potentially fatal near misses with drones in one month last summer.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Yet fatal stabbings are now so common that schools are using metal detectors and putting police in the classroom.
The Sun (2007)
The majority of those who died were not under specialist care and half had no medical help during their fatal attack.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
In fact, it is a disastrous and perhaps fatal error.
The Sun (2014)
A heart discard was clearly fatal, giving declarer two more tricks.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
In other languages
fatal
British English: fatal /ˈfeɪtl/ ADJECTIVE
A fatal action has undesirable results.
He made the fatal mistake of giving her some money.
American English: fatal
Arabic: مـُمِيت مقدر
Brazilian Portuguese: fatal
Chinese: 致命的
Croatian: koban
Czech: fatální
Danish: fatal
Dutch: fataal
European Spanish: fatídico
Finnish: kohtalokas
French: fatal
German: tödlich
Greek: μοιραίος
Italian: fatale
Japanese: 致命的な
Korean: 치명적인
Norwegian: dødelig
Polish: fatalny
European Portuguese: fatal
Romanian: fatal
Russian: роковой
Latin American Spanish: fatídico
Swedish: dödlig
Thai: ซึ่งทำให้ถึงตาย
Turkish: ölümcül
Ukrainian: фатальний
Vietnamese: chết người
All related terms of 'fatal'
fatal crash
A crash is an accident in which a moving vehicle hits something and is damaged or destroyed.
fatal error
An error is something you have done which is considered to be incorrect or wrong, or which should not have been done.
fatal flaw
A flaw in something such as a theory or argument is a mistake in it, which causes it to be less effective or valid .
fatal attack
To attack a person or place means to try to hurt or damage them using physical violence .
fatal disease
A disease is an illness which affects people, animals, or plants, for example one which is caused by bacteria or infection.
fatal illness
Illness is the fact or experience of being ill .
fatal accident
An accident happens when a vehicle hits a person, an object, or another vehicle, causing injury or damage.
fatal incident
An incident is something that happens , often something that is unpleasant .
Chinese translation of 'fatal'
fatal
(ˈfeɪtl)
adj
[accident, injury, illness]致命的 (zhìmìng de)
(fig)[mistake]严(嚴)重的 (yánzhòng de)
1 (adjective)
Definition
resulting in unfortunate consequences
It dealt a fatal blow to his chances.
Synonyms
disastrous
the recent, disastrous earthquake
devastating
the devastating force of the floods
crippling
lethal
catastrophic
A tidal wave caused catastrophic damage.
ruinous
the ruinous effects of the conflict
calamitous
a calamitous air crash
baleful
baneful
Opposites
minor
,
inconsequential
2 (adjective)
putting off that fatal moment
Synonyms
decisive
a decisive victory in the elections
final
The judge's decision is final.
determining
Cost was not a determining factor in my choice.
critical
The incident happened at a critical point in the campaign.
crucial
At the crucial moment, his nerve failed.
fateful
What changed for him in that fateful year?
3 (adjective)
Definition
resulting in death
She had suffered a fatal heart attack.
Synonyms
lethal
a lethal dose of sleeping pills
deadly
a deadly disease currently affecting dolphins
mortal
a mortal blow
causing death
final
killing
Diphtheria was a killing disease.
terminal
terminal illness
destructive
the awesome destructive power of nuclear weapons
malignant
a malignant minority indulging in crime and violence
incurable
He is suffering from an incurable skin disease.
pernicious (formal)
the pernicious effects of alcoholism
Opposites
beneficial
,
harmless
,
benign
,
wholesome
,
innocuous
,
salutary
,
non-toxic
,
inoffensive
,
non-lethal
,
vitalizing
4 (adjective)
Synonyms
inevitable
The defeat had inevitable consequences for policy.
doomed
destined
He feels that he was destined to become a musician.