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Synonyms

fatally

American  
[feyt-l-ee] / ˈfeɪt l i /

adverb

  1. in a manner leading to death or disaster.

    He was injured fatally in the accident.

  2. by a decree of fate or destiny; by inevitable predetermination.

fatally British  
/ ˈfeɪtəlɪ /

adverb

  1. resulting in death or disaster

    fatally wounded in battle

  2. as decreed by fate; inevitably

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of fatally

late Middle English word dating back to 1375–1425; see origin at fatal, -ly

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

This is partly why Sarah decided to homeschool her children - by knowing she could see them all the time, the images of them being fatally injured or catching a terrible disease were diminished somewhat.

From BBC • Apr. 29, 2026

Brooke Wiggins was just days away from her 13th birthday on 9 November 2024 when she was fatally injured at Grove Place, near the junction with Carshalton Road in Banstead, Surrey.

From BBC • Apr. 22, 2026

Henry later rolls triple ones, triggering the “extraordinary occurrences chart,” and is forced to watch as Damon is fatally struck by a pitch.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026

In March, two people were fatally bitten by rattlesnakes in Southern California alone, a 46-year-old woman from Ventura County and a 25-year-old man in Orange County.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026

Drifting arsenic dusts from blueberry lands have spread over neighboring farms, contaminating streams, fatally poisoning bees and cows, and causing human illness.

From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.