Main Entry:

¹dead·ly

Pronunciation:

\ˈded-lē\

Function:

adjective

Inflected Form(s):

dead·li·er; dead·li·est

Date:

before 12th century

1: likely to cause or capable of producing death <deadly poison>2 a: aiming to kill or destroy : implacable <a deadly enemy> b: highly effective <a deadly exposé> c: unerring <a deadly marksman> d: marked by determination or extreme seriousness3 a: tending to deprive of force or vitality <a deadly habit> b: suggestive of death especially in dullness or lack of animation <deadly bores> <a deadly conversation>4: very great : extreme

— dead·li·ness noun

synonyms deadly, mortal, fatal, lethal mean causing or capable of causing death. deadly applies to an established or very likely cause of death <a deadly disease>. mortal implies that death has occurred or is inevitable <a mortal wound>. fatal stresses the inevitability of what has in fact resulted in death or destruction <fatal consequences>. lethal applies to something that is bound to cause death or exists for the destruction of life <lethal gas>.