fatally

adverb

fa·​tal·​ly ˈfā-tᵊl-ē 

1

: in a way determined by fate

2

: in a manner suggesting fate or an act of fate: such as

a

: in a manner resulting in death : mortally

fatally wounded

b

: beyond repair : irrevocably

c

: in a manner resulting in ruin or evil

It is fatally easy to pass off our prejudices as our opinions.

—W. F. Hambly

d

: in a manner that cannot be easily resisted

… thinks she is fatally attractive …

—J. W. Krutch

Examples of fatally in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The shooting in Portland comes one day after the death of Renee Nicole Good, who was fatally shot by ICE officer Jonathan Ross in Minneapolis, the Minnesota Star Tribune, Fox9 and The Intercept reported. —Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 9 Jan. 2026

Tensions are flaring in Minneapolis after an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer fatally shot a 37-year-old woman on Wednesday. —Emily Shapiro, ABC News, 9 Jan. 2026

Millions of people have seen the moment an immigration agent fatally shot Renee Nicole Good. —Thao Nguyen, USA Today, 9 Jan. 2026

The shooting inflamed tensions a day after an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent fatally shot a woman in Minneapolis, prompting protests and condemnation from state and city officials there. —Lex Harvey, CNN Money, 9 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for fatally

• postnatally
• prenatally