nonfatal

adjective

non·​fa·​tal ˌnän-ˈfā-tᵊl How to pronounce nonfatal (audio)
: not causing death : not fatal
nonfatal infections
a nonfatal wound

Examples of nonfatal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web That would have been enough, under a 2005 Alaska law, to charge him with a felony for nonfatal strangulation. Kyle Hopkins, ProPublica, 11 Nov. 2023 All of the overdoses were nonfatal and appeared to involve fentanyl. Justin Jouvenal, Washington Post, 2 Nov. 2023 After two nonfatal car crashes in mid-August, one involving a fire truck in emergency mode that hit a Cruise cab, the state DMV stepped in. Laurent Belsie, The Christian Science Monitor, 31 Oct. 2023 Even in nonfatal cases, heat still posed a major public health threat in Arizona. Denise Chow, NBC News, 27 Oct. 2023 The number of people shot, including nonfatal incidents, has also declined nearly 16% citywide since last year. Libor Jany, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2023 The authors credit the decrease in nonfatal car injuries, for example, to public health interventions targeting pediatric safety, technological advancements and legislative requirements. Sara Moniuszko, CBS News, 5 Oct. 2023 Despite overall decreases in nonfatal injuries, the rates of self-harm increased by 57%. Dr. Adiba Matin, ABC News, 4 Oct. 2023 There have been 12 more nonfatal cases reported to state public health authorities. Chicago Tribune Staff, Chicago Tribune, 23 Aug. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'nonfatal.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1854, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of nonfatal was in 1854

Dictionary Entries Near nonfatal

Cite this Entry

“Nonfatal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nonfatal. Accessed 28 Nov. 2023.

Medical Definition

nonfatal

adjective
non·​fa·​tal -ˈfāt-ᵊl How to pronounce nonfatal (audio)
: not fatal
nonfatal infections

More from Merriam-Webster on nonfatal

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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