1
as in disastrous
bringing about ruin or misfortune
I made the fatal mistake of sharing my secret with the office's biggest blabbermouth
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in lethal
likely to cause or capable of causing death
that snake's venom is fatal unless the victim is given the antidote almost immediately
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fatal
After a near-fatal experience, Kaif began seeing both stories and silences differently.
—
Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 1 Oct. 2025
The North Carolina State Auditor’s Office on Tuesday released its initial findings on the Charlotte Area Transit System’s security after a fatal stabbing on the city’s light rail that drew national attention.
—Mary Ramsey
updated September 30, Charlotte Observer, 30 Sep. 2025
Five weeks before the shooting, Williams was released from the Hennepin County jail after posting $100,000 bond in two cases stemming from December non-fatal shootings in Minneapolis.
—Nick Ferraro, Twin Cities, 30 Sep. 2025
The coroner who performed Vasquez’s autopsy, Altaf Hossain of Frontier Forensics Midwest, said a gunshot wound to the face was the fatal shot, according to his testimony on Tuesday.
—Pj Green
september 30, Kansas City Star, 30 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fatal
Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 1 Oct. 2025
The North Carolina State Auditor’s Office on Tuesday released its initial findings on the Charlotte Area Transit System’s security after a fatal stabbing on the city’s light rail that drew national attention.
—Mary Ramsey
updated September 30, Charlotte Observer, 30 Sep. 2025
Five weeks before the shooting, Williams was released from the Hennepin County jail after posting $100,000 bond in two cases stemming from December non-fatal shootings in Minneapolis.
—Nick Ferraro, Twin Cities, 30 Sep. 2025
The coroner who performed Vasquez’s autopsy, Altaf Hossain of Frontier Forensics Midwest, said a gunshot wound to the face was the fatal shot, according to his testimony on Tuesday.
—Pj Green
september 30, Kansas City Star, 30 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fatal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fatal
Adjective
-
Moulton’s Senate primary rationale, stated or otherwise, rests on the enduring public image of former President Joe Biden, who withdrew from his 2024 reelection bid after a disastrous debate against Trump revealed limitations of being in office at age 82 and beyond.—
David Mark,
The Washington Examiner,
3 Oct. 2025
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No one has been sent home or saved because of a disastrous technical.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Tennessee law holds that those who committed crimes before 1999 can choose between being put to death by lethal injection or the electric chair.—
Evan Mealins,
Nashville Tennessean,
3 Oct. 2025
-
And of course 100% lethal to the child.—
Jordan King,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The floods will return – and some will be catastrophic.—
Alaa Elassar,
CNN Money,
1 Oct. 2025
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The law defines catastrophic risk narrowly as incidents potentially causing 50+ deaths or $1 billion in damage through weapons assistance, autonomous criminal acts, or loss of control.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
30 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
During a three-day rampage of gang violence, some 80 people died — the deadliest days in El Salvador since its civil war.—
T. Christian Miller,
ProPublica,
30 Sep. 2025
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One Pasteurella-like microbe carried genetic hints of virulence and has ties to deadly outbreaks in modern African elephants.—
Pranjal Malewar,
New Atlas,
30 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
All the rest are likely to shine in movies by good directors, and most actors whose reputations aren’t illustriously artistic have mainly been unfortunate in their collaborations.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
30 Sep. 2025
-
Irish butter may now an internationally marketable commodity, but in Swift’s day, the Irish peasantry fought back against their replacement by cattle by maiming and driving the unfortunate cattle off cliffs.—
Matthew Wills,
JSTOR Daily,
30 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fatal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fatal. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.
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