fatally

adverb

fa·​tal·​ly ˈfā-tᵊl-ē How to pronounce fatally (audio)
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
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.
Man with machete attacked three people at the 42nd Street-Grand Central subway station Saturday morning before police fatally shot him. Julie Walker, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2026 Police said Roland was identified as the person who fatally shot a 30-year-old in the n the 3500 block of West Wabansia Avenue on January 23. April 11, CBS News, 11 Apr. 2026 This isn’t the first time gun violence has impacted Migos, as Takeoff was fatally shot back in 2022 at a bowling alley in Houston. Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 10 Apr. 2026 Five minutes later, a 911 dispatcher sent police and paramedics toward the northwest Charlotte neighborhood off Rozelles Ferry Road, where Graves lived and where Watson had been fatally shot. Charlotte Observer, 9 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for fatally

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of fatally was in the 15th century

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Cite this Entry

“Fatally.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fatally. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.

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