nonfatal

adjective

non·​fa·​tal ˌnän-ˈfā-tᵊl 

: not causing death : not fatal

nonfatal infections

a nonfatal wound

Examples of nonfatal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Meanwhile, Minnesota has charged an ICE agent in a nonfatal shooting of a Venezuelan man, also in January. — Juliana Kim, NPR, 22 July 2026

Reports of nonfatal overdoses in Phoenix through June are 17 percent lower this year than last. — Josh Katz, New York Times, 15 July 2026

Neither study analyzed survival beyond hospital discharge or nonfatal outcomes. — Cal Chengqi Fang, The Conversation, 14 July 2026

In May, a former federal agent was arrested and charged with multiple counts of assault and falsely reporting a crime after making false statements under oath regarding the nonfatal shooting of a Venezuelan man in Minneapolis in January. — Karina Tsui, CNN Money, 8 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1854, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for nonfatal

• postnatal
• prenatal
• antenatal
• hiatal
• neonatal
• perinatal
• datal
• fatal

Medical Definition

nonfatal

adjective

non·​fa·​tal -ˈfāt-ᵊl 

: not fatal

nonfatal infections