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

Vance had planned to be in New York for the anniversary last year but instead flew to Salt Lake City to be with the family of Charlie Kirk after the conservative activist was fatally shot. — Collin Binkley, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026

The Thursday night shooting occurred two days after 23-year-old Printis Smith was fatally shot by a Milwaukee police officer on the same block following a pursuit and foot chase. — April Quevedo, jsonline.com, 11 Sep. 2026

People were fatally hit while hiking, kayaking, riding a Jet Ski, sitting on the beach, swimming, trimming trees and walking to their car, according to an incident chart on the National Lightning Safety Council website. — Stephen Hudak, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 Sep. 2026

Kirk, a podcast host and activist who championed open debate, was fatally shot during an event at Utah Valley University, leaving behind his wife, Erika, and two children, along with a conservative media empire. — Angele Latham, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for fatally

• postnatally
• prenatally