fatal
adjective
fa·tal ˈfā-tᵊl 
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
- calamitous
- cataclysmal
- cataclysmic
- catastrophic
- damning
- destructive
- disastrous
- fateful
- ruinous
- unfortunate
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
a disease that is often fatal a chemical that can be fatal to birds She made a fatal mistake.
Recent Examples on the Web Polio vaccines are 99% effective against paralytic polio, which can be fatal in 2% to 10% of cases. Aria Bendix, NBC News, 9 Sep. 2022 In the worst case, giving your dog Ibuprofen or Tylenol could be fatal, says rover.com. Olivia Munson, USA TODAY, 8 Sep. 2022 Traditionally, pickers wearing spiked shoes climb the trees -- which can grow to 20 meters (about 65 feet) -- and falls can be fatal. Kathleen Magramo, CNN, 8 Sep. 2022 Several maulings have been reported in the Anchorage area this year, including one on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in May that was fatal. Tess Williams, Anchorage Daily News, 8 Sep. 2022 That combination of high heat and humidity is potentially fatal, scientists say. Insiya Syed, WSJ, 6 Sep. 2022 Although most people recover from Legionnaires' with antibiotics, certain patients -- including those who are immunocompromised or who suffer from chronic lung diseases -- can develop complications that can be fatal. Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 5 Sep. 2022 Police arrived at 10124 Whispering Pines and found Daniel Felton, 65, of South Madison, Miss., in the driveway with a gunshot wound that proved to be fatal. Grant Lancaster, Arkansas Online, 5 Sep. 2022 The Lancet Infectious Diseases in 2019, reported that among 122 cases there, seven had been fatal. Andrew Joseph, STAT, 1 Sep. 2022 See More
Aria Bendix, NBC News, 9 Sep. 2022 In the worst case, giving your dog Ibuprofen or Tylenol could be fatal, says rover.com. Olivia Munson, USA TODAY, 8 Sep. 2022 Traditionally, pickers wearing spiked shoes climb the trees -- which can grow to 20 meters (about 65 feet) -- and falls can be fatal. Kathleen Magramo, CNN, 8 Sep. 2022 Several maulings have been reported in the Anchorage area this year, including one on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in May that was fatal. Tess Williams, Anchorage Daily News, 8 Sep. 2022 That combination of high heat and humidity is potentially fatal, scientists say. Insiya Syed, WSJ, 6 Sep. 2022 Although most people recover from Legionnaires' with antibiotics, certain patients -- including those who are immunocompromised or who suffer from chronic lung diseases -- can develop complications that can be fatal. Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 5 Sep. 2022 Police arrived at 10124 Whispering Pines and found Daniel Felton, 65, of South Madison, Miss., in the driveway with a gunshot wound that proved to be fatal. Grant Lancaster, Arkansas Online, 5 Sep. 2022 The Lancet Infectious Diseases in 2019, reported that among 122 cases there, seven had been fatal. Andrew Joseph, STAT, 1 Sep. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English, from Latin fatalis, from fatum fate
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4
Phrases Containing fatal
Kids Definition
fatal
adjective
fa·tal ˈfā-tᵊl
1
: causing death : mortal
fatal injuries
2
: causing ruin or failure
a fatal mistake
Medical Definition
fatal
adjective
fa·tal ˈfāt-ᵊl
: causing death
a fatal diabetic coma Havelock Ellis
Havelock Ellis 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. Perillofatal
adjective
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
Relevance
- disastrous
- catastrophic
- unfortunate
- calamitous
- destructive
- ruinous
- fateful
- cataclysmic
- damning
- damaging
- pernicious
- harmful
- adverse
- injurious
- detrimental
- cataclysmal
- apocalyptic
- deleterious
- baneful
- luckless
- apocalyptical
- hapless
- ill-fated
- ill-starred
- evil
- hurtful
- noxious
- prejudicial
- baleful
- ill
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- fortuitous
- lucky
- fortunate
- providential
- happy
- fluky
- flukey
- fair
- promising
- golden
- propitious
- optimistic
- auspicious
- rosy
- hopeful
- bright
- encouraging
- heartening
- upbeat
- rose-colored
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
- lethal
- deadly
- poisonous
- infectious
- infective
- harmful
- killer
- dangerous
- toxic
- terminal
- mortal
- fell
- murderous
- injurious
- destructive
- hazardous
- deathly
- pernicious
- deleterious
- serious
- vital
- pestilent
- baleful
- perilous
- virulent
- risky
- baneful
- noxious
- threatening
- sublethal
- ugly
- bloody
- grievous
- pestilential
- menacing
- jeopardizing
- grave
- unhealthy
- sanguinary
- parlous
- unsound
- truculent
- internecine
- sanguine
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- nonfatal
- beneficial
- healthy
- nonlethal
- healthful
- salutary
- wholesome
- beneficial
- corrective
- salubrious
- remedial
- curative
- restorative
- useful
- advantageous
- tonic
- safe
- nontoxic
- alleviative
- nonpoisonous
Synonym Chooser
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
While the synonyms deadly and fatal are close in meaning, deadly applies to an established or very likely cause of death.
a deadly disease
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
The synonyms mortal and fatal are sometimes interchangeable, but mortal implies that death has occurred or is inevitable.
a mortal wound