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
An argument turned fatal early Tuesday morning when a man was shot and killed at an apartment complex in west Aurora, according to the police department.
—
Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 26 May 2026
Another woman, Jarishia Jackson, was arrested and faces a murder charge in connection with the fatal stabbing, according to police.
—Ciara McCarthy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 May 2026
Any mistake could have been fatal, but Armonda and his team got the rock out in a mere 90 minutes.
—Martha Raddatz, The Atlantic, 25 May 2026
The disease — a fatal, genetic neurological disorder that progressively destroys nerve cells in the brain — did not just affect Spalding physically.
—Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 24 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for fatal
Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 26 May 2026
Another woman, Jarishia Jackson, was arrested and faces a murder charge in connection with the fatal stabbing, according to police.
—Ciara McCarthy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 May 2026
Any mistake could have been fatal, but Armonda and his team got the rock out in a mere 90 minutes.
—Martha Raddatz, The Atlantic, 25 May 2026
The disease — a fatal, genetic neurological disorder that progressively destroys nerve cells in the brain — did not just affect Spalding physically.
—Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 24 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for fatal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fatal
Adjective
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The study, published on May 31, highlights an ongoing trend toward wildfires becoming increasingly extreme, costly, and disastrous — both economically and in lives lost.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
31 May 2026
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Leigh Ann, boy, so striking to hear the former first lady talk about that disastrous debate performance.—
NBC news,
NBC news,
31 May 2026
Adjective
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Many who lived through the pandemic—and witnessed this inability to combat the lethal pestilence—developed scornful opinions of the medical profession.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 May 2026
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The lethal nature of mosquitoes is ancient knowledge, encoded in some of our most sacred texts.—
Ross Andersen,
The Atlantic,
27 May 2026
Adjective
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Garrincha also played at the 1966 World Cup, but his drinking had reached catastrophic levels by then.—
Jack Lang,
New York Times,
28 May 2026
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And late last week about 50,000 people were evacuated in Southern California after a chemical tank overheated and threatened the area with a catastrophic explosion.—
Martha Bellisle,
Chicago Tribune,
28 May 2026
Adjective
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The catastrophic blast at the Liushenyu coal mine in Qinyuan County, located in China’s northern Shanxi province, marked the country’s deadliest mining disaster in recent years.—
Bonny Chu,
FOXNews.com,
25 May 2026
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Aurora officials also failed to properly train officers on threat assessments, de-escalation, warnings and the constitutional limits on deadly force, the lawsuit alleges.—
Lauren Penington,
Denver Post,
25 May 2026
Adjective
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The timing is particularly unfortunate given the matchup awaiting the Knicks.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
29 May 2026
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While loud sounds won’t cause flat cakes, there are reasons for this unfortunate outcome.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
29 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fatal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fatal. Accessed 1 Jun. 2026.
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