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

Stabler's absence was explained on-camera by the character retiring after fatally shooting a young woman who was avenging her mother's murder. —EW.com, 27 June 2025

The city of Philadelphia has agreed to pay a $3 million settlement to the family of a 12-year-old boy who was fatally shot in the back by a police officer, their attorney announced. —N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 27 June 2025

Vance, 57, is accused of fatally shooting State Rep. Melissa Hortman, 55, the former Democratic Speaker of the House, and her husband, Mark, in their home in Brooklyn Park, Minn., on June 14. —Nicole Acosta, People.com, 26 June 2025

Authorities say the couple and their family dog were fatally shot. —Pilar Melendez, NBC news, 26 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for fatally

• postnatally
• prenatally