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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fatal
Pathogenic microbes in the water can cause cholera, diarrhea, dysentery, polio, and typhoid, which could be fatal in areas without access to vaccines or medical treatment.
—
Elizabeth Rayne, ArsTechnica, 26 July 2025
Last Friday, five more individuals were taken to the hospital due to overdoses, though none were fatal.
—Keith Daniels, Baltimore Sun, 26 July 2025
However, attacks on humans are rare: Only six fatal mountain lion attacks on humans have been recorded in the state since 1890.
—Tina Chen, Mercury News, 25 July 2025
Priya allegedly injected her business partner with a fatal overdose of sedatives, Joseph said.
—Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 15 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for fatal
Elizabeth Rayne, ArsTechnica, 26 July 2025
Last Friday, five more individuals were taken to the hospital due to overdoses, though none were fatal.
—Keith Daniels, Baltimore Sun, 26 July 2025
However, attacks on humans are rare: Only six fatal mountain lion attacks on humans have been recorded in the state since 1890.
—Tina Chen, Mercury News, 25 July 2025
Priya allegedly injected her business partner with a fatal overdose of sedatives, Joseph said.
—Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 15 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for fatal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fatal
Adjective
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And yes, it must also be said that domestic and feral cats have been disastrous to the world's biodiversity, having contributed to the extinction of 40 bird and 21 mammal species – 26% of the extinctions in these groups – since the 1600s.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
14 July 2025
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Hunt was the site of particularly disastrous flooding early in the morning on July 4, with officials saying the river swelled more than 20 feet in less than an hour and ultimately killed at least 103 people countywide, including dozens of children at a riverside summer camp called Camp Mystic.—
July 13,
CBS News,
13 July 2025
Adjective
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The ruling came following a three-day hearing in which experts on both sides testified as to how Black's heart device would react under lethal injection.—
Kelly Puente,
Nashville Tennessean,
19 July 2025
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Cyanide—painful, lethal, and surprisingly quotidian—was not the only darkroom risk.—
Anika Burgess
July 17,
Literary Hub,
17 July 2025
Adjective
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The clinic helps prevent the spread of this deadly disease in the U.S.—
Nicole Villalpando,
Austin American Statesman,
31 July 2025
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The man faces five criminal charges including unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon and criminal recklessness with a deadly weapon.—
Jordan Smith,
IndyStar,
31 July 2025
Adjective
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Instead, like so many unfortunate accidents since cell phones were invented, this was caused by a distracted driver.—
Anne Marie D. Lee,
CBS News,
14 July 2025
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Fortunately for him, that gaffe will be a little easier to live down than Teal and Weinberg’s unfortunate comments.—
Krista Kafer,
Denver Post,
12 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fatal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fatal. Accessed 2 Aug. 2025.
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