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
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
Arulampalam’s decision came amid intense pressure to take action following two fatal police shootings in eight days which led to the death of Jones and 53-year-old Everard Walker.
—
Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 31 Mar. 2026
Sometimes the encounters are fatal, as in the cases of Renee Macklin Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis — both American citizens killed by federal agents while out observing immigration enforcement actions.
—Leila Fadel, NPR, 31 Mar. 2026
Last year, artists such as Tyler, the Creator and Olivia Rodrigo slammed ICE’s operation in Los Angeles, and in January, numerous A-listers condemned the agency’s presence in Minneapolis and the fatal shootings of two Minnesotans at the hands of ICE officers.
—Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 30 Mar. 2026
Airline CEOs are increasingly expected to address the public following fatal accidents involving their aircraft.
—Allison Lampert, USA Today, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fatal
Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 31 Mar. 2026
Sometimes the encounters are fatal, as in the cases of Renee Macklin Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis — both American citizens killed by federal agents while out observing immigration enforcement actions.
—Leila Fadel, NPR, 31 Mar. 2026
Last year, artists such as Tyler, the Creator and Olivia Rodrigo slammed ICE’s operation in Los Angeles, and in January, numerous A-listers condemned the agency’s presence in Minneapolis and the fatal shootings of two Minnesotans at the hands of ICE officers.
—Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 30 Mar. 2026
Airline CEOs are increasingly expected to address the public following fatal accidents involving their aircraft.
—Allison Lampert, USA Today, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for fatal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fatal
Adjective
-
Duke appeared to be too much for the Huskies, who went more than five minutes without scoring during a disastrous first-half stretch to fall behind, 44-25.—
Dom Amore,
Hartford Courant,
30 Mar. 2026
-
And years later, when the group splintered into increasingly militant factions, some took part in a disastrous bank robbery that killed an innocent guard and two police officers—three men who were just doing their jobs that day, and who left behind their own kids, their own families.—
Zayd Ayers Dohrn,
New Yorker,
28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The planned execution of Thomas Creech in 2024 could not be carried out because a suitable vein could not be found to administer lethal drugs.—
Sally Krutzig,
Idaho Statesman,
1 Apr. 2026
-
The punishment stipulated under the new law is death by hanging, after the Israeli Medical Association's ethics board said last year that its members would be prohibited from administering lethal injections, according to Israeli media.—
Matt Bradley,
NBC news,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Much like with the newspaper industry, the internet has had a similar impact on radio stations, just not quite as catastrophic.—
Mac Engel
April 2,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Most notably — and most devastatingly — Woods was involved in a one-car rollover crash in Los Angeles in February 2021, which left him with catastrophic leg injuries.—
Megan Armstrong,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
State inspectors had never once visited the Esparto facility before the deadly blast; that responsibility fell only to local authorities, until now.—
Ashley Sharp,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Are all fungi dangerous or deadly?—
Brandi D. Addison,
USA Today,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
That house has a history of unfortunate events, including the fate of Cookie, an errant heiress and her pooch.—
Pat Beall,
Sun Sentinel,
27 Mar. 2026
-
The start of 2026 has been a series of unfortunate events for Michelle Harris and her family.—
Monique John,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fatal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fatal. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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