fatal
FAY-tuhl
Fatal (adj) means causing death. Example: “Eating that wild mushroom could have been fatal if he had not gone to hospital.”
adj
1
Causing death.
"Eating that wild mushroom could have been fatal if he had not gone to hospital."
"The crash resulted in a fatal injury to the driver."
"A fatal dose of the poison had been mixed into his drink."
2
Causing serious harm, ruin, or failure, especially to a plan or process.
"Failing to book the venue in time was a fatal mistake for the event."
"One careless decision proved fatal to the whole project."
"The bug turned out to be a fatal flaw in the whole system design."
How to use fatal
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishDeadly, or so damaging that it destroys something completely.
Common mistake
Don't confuse with "fateful", which means significant or decisive, not necessarily deadly.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
fatal accident
fatal error
fatal flaw
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Word forms
- Plural
- fatals
- Comparative
- more fatal
- Superlative
- most fatal
Fill the gap
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Eating that wild mushroom could have been _____ if he had not gone to hospital.
Etymology
From Latin fatalis, "decreed by fate", from fatum ("fate").
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
nonfatal
Related words
Rhymes for fatal
See all rhymes for fatal →Frequently asked questions
What does “fatal” mean?
The word “fatal” means causing death. In plain terms, deadly, or so damaging that it destroys something completely.
How do you pronounce “fatal”?
“Fatal” is pronounced FAY-tuhl ([ˈfeɪ.ɾɫ̩] in IPA).
How do you use “fatal” in a sentence?
Here is “fatal” used in a sentence: “The crash resulted in a fatal injury to the driver.”
What part of speech is “fatal”?
“Fatal” is an adjective.
Where does the word “fatal” come from?
The word “fatal” comes from Latin. From Latin fatalis, "decreed by fate", from fatum ("fate").
Is “fatal” a common word?
“Fatal” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
How many meanings does “fatal” have?
“Fatal” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: causing death.
What is the difference between fatal and lethal?
Fatal means causing death, and it usually describes an event or its outcome, as in a fatal accident. Lethal describes something with the capacity or power to kill, such as a lethal dose or lethal weapon, whether or not death actually results in a given case.
What is the difference between fatal and deadly?
Fatal typically points to something that has caused or will cause death as an outcome, like a fatal crash. Deadly describes something capable of causing death and is often used before a noun, as in a deadly virus, emphasising the danger rather than a specific result.
Can 'fatal' be used when no one dies?
Yes. Besides causing death, fatal can mean causing serious harm, ruin, or failure, especially to a plan or process. A 'fatal flaw' or a 'fatal mistake' is one serious enough to doom the effort, even though no one is physically harmed.
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