fatality

noun

fa·​tal·​i·​ty fā-ˈta-lə-tē 

fə-

plural fatalities

1

a

: the quality or state of causing death or destruction

b

: the quality or condition of being destined for disaster

2

: something established by fate

3

a

: fate sense 1

b

: fatalism

4

: the agent or agency of fate

5

a

: death resulting from a disaster

b

: one that experiences a fatal outcome

Synonyms of fatality

• victim
• casualty

Examples of fatality in a Sentence

The car crash caused one fatality and several serious injuries.

the grim reminder that every holiday weekend inevitably results in a slew of highway fatalities

Recent Examples on the Web

The four fatalities from the Bronx blaze raised the lithium-ion battery fire death toll to 10 so far this year, FDNY officials said. — Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 6 Nov. 2026

As of 2022, seniors represented less than 15 percent of the city’s population but accounted for approximately 45 percent of pedestrian fatalities. — Justin Davidson, Curbed, 5 Nov. 2026

According to a police accident report from Saturday night’s fatality, witnesses told police that a vehicle traveling westbound on County Road 250 South reportedly disregarded a stop sign and struck Schultz’s vehicle, which overturned. — Post-Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 2 Nov. 2026

All of the victims killed in the plane crash were on board the plane, while no fatalities were on the ground. — Morgan Rynor, CBS News, 2 Nov. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle French fatalité, from Late Latin fatalitat-, fatalitas, from Latin fatalis

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing fatality

• case fatality rate
• case fatality ratio
• fatality rate

Rhymes for fatality

• banality
• bestiality
• brutality
• carnality
• centrality
• chirality
• duality
• finality
• formality
• frugality
• legality
• lethality

Kids Definition

fatality

noun

fa·​tal·​i·​ty fā-ˈtal-ət-ē 

fə-

plural fatalities

: a death resulting from a disaster or accident

Medical Definition

fatality

noun

fa·​tal·​i·​ty fā-ˈtal-ət-ē, fə- 

plural fatalities

1

: the quality or state of causing death or destruction : deadliness

the degree of fatality of a disease

2

a

: death resulting from a disaster

a car crash causing several fatalities

b

: one who suffers such a death

one of the fatalities was a small child