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noun

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective mortal differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of mortal are deadly, fatal, and lethal. While all these words mean "causing or capable of causing death," mortal implies that death has occurred or is inevitable.

a mortal wound

When might deadly be a better fit than mortal?

While in some cases nearly identical to mortal, deadly applies to an established or very likely cause of death.

a deadly disease

When is fatal a more appropriate choice than mortal?

The words fatal and mortal can be used in similar contexts, but fatal stresses the inevitability of what has in fact resulted in death or destruction.

fatal consequences

Where would lethal be a reasonable alternative to mortal?

In some situations, the words lethal and mortal are roughly equivalent. However, lethal applies to something that is bound to cause death or exists for the destruction of life.

lethal gas

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of mortal
Adjective
Bautista is playing The Kurgen, the movie’s top villain, while Gillan is MacLeod’s Scottish and very mortal wife. Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 30 Sep. 2025 Crowe will play a swordsman who mentors Cavill's Highlander, and Bautista will play an antagonistic immortal known as The Kurgen, while Gillan will star as Connor's very mortal wife. Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Sep. 2025
Noun
But for us common mortals these have a negative impact, though maybe only on our children, on our wives, on our friends. Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 27 Aug. 2025 But like many mere mortals, Eden also has a sweet tooth. Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 25 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for mortal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mortal
Adjective
  • When weighing which team is better equipped for a Super Bowl run, the edge goes to a Broncos team led by Sean Payton, with Bo Nix progressing at quarterback and a lethal defense that is going to get some key pieces back from injury.
    Saad Yousuf, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2025
  • The consumption of these products can cause stomach problems or even lethal cases of botulism (which has happened several times over the past few years).
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 9 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Islamabad — Tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan have flared in recent days with the exchange of deadly gunfire between the neighbors that has stoked fears of a wider conflict.
    Lex Harvey, CNN Money, 15 Oct. 2025
  • That to-and-fro could be seen in the Taliban's response to the deadly earthquake, which was most devastating in the isolated mountains of the eastern Kunar province in late August.
    NPR, NPR, 14 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Now, many employers are looking to harness the power of AI—initially for mundane and repetitive tasks and eventually for more complicated jobs—to reduce the need to maintain the same level of human staffers on their payrolls.
    Jason Del Rey, Fortune, 15 Oct. 2025
  • There, the horror is the patriarchy and the human obsession with looking to the past for meaning.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 14 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • By this time, the eastern Roman empire, where Zosimus lived, had been fairly thoroughly Christianized, but Zosimus was a pagan hostile to Christianity.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Oct. 2025
  • The United States plans to upgrade its radars to improve their ability to identify hostile ballistic missiles targeting the homeland, according to a government announcement, as nuclear adversaries Russia, China and North Korea advance their missile capabilities.
    Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • This level of caring and personal openness—owning mistakes is part of being present as a whole person—filters into the business culture.
    Adam Gale, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2025
  • For me, that person was Ursula Burns.
    Kimberly Wilson, Essence, 9 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • But unleash the foley artists (sound designers), and the flora's dripping slime and ominous pulsing are infinitely more threatening, as a soldier learns to fatal cost later in the season.
    Richard Edwards, Space.com, 8 Oct. 2025
  • There were 55 students on the school bus when the fatal crash occurred, none of whom were injured, police said.
    Abigail Adams, PEOPLE, 8 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Within the first 20 minutes of the sixth and penultimate episode of Task, both PSP Lizzie Stover (Alison Oliver) and Robbie Prendergrast (Tom Pelphrey) are dead.
    Megan McCluskey, Time, 13 Oct. 2025
  • Four people were found dead at the scene, and at least 20 other people were injured.
    NPR, NPR, 13 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • In the aftermath of Kirk's death, waves of firings and suspensions have occurred across the country in connection to individuals’ social media posts about Kirk, as conservative politicians and influencers push for a crackdown on negative posts about the political podcaster.
    Craig Shoup, Nashville Tennessean, 11 Oct. 2025
  • However, Belichick’s NFL past continues to hover around this situation, from questions about his legacy to regular flare-ups involving the Patriots to suspicions within UNC’s program that some of the negative headlines have origins in New England.
    Dianna Russini, New York Times, 11 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Mortal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mortal. Accessed 16 Oct. 2025.

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