deadly 1 of 2

1
2
3

deadly

2 of 2

adverb

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective deadly differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of deadly are fatal, lethal, and mortal. While all these words mean "causing or capable of causing death," deadly applies to an established or very likely cause of death.

a deadly disease

When would fatal be a good substitute for deadly?

In some situations, the words fatal and deadly are roughly equivalent. However, fatal stresses the inevitability of what has in fact resulted in death or destruction.

fatal consequences

When is lethal a more appropriate choice than deadly?

While in some cases nearly identical to deadly, lethal applies to something that is bound to cause death or exists for the destruction of life.

lethal gas

When could mortal be used to replace deadly?

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

a mortal wound

Examples 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 deadly
Adjective
Monday's fatal shooting at Abundant Life Christian School marked the second school shooting in the Madison area in seven months and the deadliest year for school shootings in Wisconsin since 1970, when researchers began tracking such incidents. Eva Wen, Journal Sentinel, 19 Dec. 2024 Still, the over 25-year-long humanitarian crisis remains the deadliest in the world since World War II—seeing 7.3 million people internally displaced, 25.4 million people who are in need of emergency support, and over 6 million people killed, most of whom are women and children. Akilah Sailers, Essence, 19 Dec. 2024
Adverb
Guy does not take him seriously, but Bruno is deadly serious. Duante Beddingfield, Detroit Free Press, 25 Oct. 2024 Some seemed deadly dull, repetitive, or irrelevant. Steven Levy, WIRED, 4 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for deadly 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deadly
Adjective
  • Underwood, 44, is scheduled to be killed by lethal injection at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester on December 19.
    Jenna Sundel, Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2024
  • The state allows prisoners to choose their preferred method of execution: lethal injection or gas chamber.
    Annabella Rosciglione, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 6 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • Working in this season's favor was the sheer unpredictability from week to week in terms of who was aligned with whom and what would happen at Tribal Council.
    Dalton Ross, EW.com, 12 Dec. 2024
  • There, along with accepting the Maverick Award, the actress wore a sheer gown with long sleeves and a high neck for the occasion.
    Charna Flam, People.com, 11 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • The crime, again, is that Harrison shot his dad in the heart, a mortal blow that, at the time, neither one of them did anything to alleviate.
    Ben Travers, IndieWire, 13 Dec. 2024
  • The mythical scenes depict the goddess of love, Venus, with her mortal lover, Adonis, as well as Hippolytus, son of Theseus, who rejected his stepmother Phaedra’s romantic advances.
    Jacqui Palumbo, CNN, 12 Dec. 2024
Adverb
  • The fields of law and insurance are extremely complicated for the layperson, with documents full of terms and concepts that may as well be a foreign language to those unfamiliar with them.
    Kyle J. Russell, USA TODAY, 16 Dec. 2024
  • Buildings can, and should be, extremely durable and capable of virtually endless modification and adaptation.
    Edward Keegan, Chicago Tribune, 15 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • Turner, 40, was sentenced in Kenton County Circuit Court on Monday to 12½ years in prison for her role in the August 2023 fatal shooting of 23-year-old Seth Burns.
    Quinlan Bentley, The Courier-Journal, 19 Dec. 2024
  • The report was released a day after a fatal school shooting in Madison, Wisconsin, which left one student and one teacher dead, and six others injured, along with the suspect.
    Hannah Parry, Newsweek, 19 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • Smith continues, reflecting on the unconditional nature of this bond.
    Essence, Essence, 17 Dec. 2024
  • According to the survey, 91 percent of pet owners say their animals' unconditional love is especially comforting during the holiday season.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 17 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • The Russell Wilson experiment in Denver was such a failure that he was eventually cut from the team, despite the financial ramifications: the Broncos incurred $85 million in dead salary over the 2024 and 2025 seasons by releasing Wilson, the largest dead cap hit in league history.
    Ben Morse, CNN, 14 Dec. 2024
  • After a long bout of gruff banter, Frank gets personal, invoking his dead son, Joseph.
    Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 14 Dec. 2024
Adverb
  • The documentary highlights his global fame, something which has baffled Mackie, who comes across as incredibly grounded, despite his influence.
    Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2024
  • The band worked incredibly hard during their first era, releasing a lot of music for a group of brothers during their decades together.
    Hugh McIntyre, Forbes, 9 Dec. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near deadly

Cite this Entry

“Deadly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deadly. Accessed 23 Dec. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on deadly

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!