fatally
Americanadverb
-
in a manner leading to death or disaster.
He was injured fatally in the accident.
-
by a decree of fate or destiny; by inevitable predetermination.
adverb
-
resulting in death or disaster
fatally wounded in battle
-
as decreed by fate; inevitably
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.
Steve Irwin died on 4 September 2006, aged 44, after a stingray fatally pierced his chest while he was underwater filming a documentary at the Great Barrier Reef.
From BBC ● Sep. 4, 2026
Six months later, Christopher Wallace, known as Biggie Smalls, was fatally shot on Wilshire Boulevard after a music event at the Petersen Automotive Museum.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 1, 2026
A "fundamental irregularity" also took place while the jury was sequestered that "fatally undermined the integrity of the verdicts", he argued, without giving further details.
From Barron's ● Aug. 17, 2026
Part of Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu was closed Monday night after someone was fatally struck by a vehicle, according to authorities.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026
In just seven years, the woolly adelgid has fatally damaged more than 90 percent of the park’s hemlocks.
From "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson
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.
