lethal
Americanadjective
-
able to cause or causing death
-
of or suggestive of death
Synonym Usage
See fatal.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of lethal
First recorded in 1575–85; from Latin lētālis, equivalent to lēt(um) “death” + -ālis -al 1; spelling (hence pronunciation) with -h- by association with Greek lḗthē “oblivion”; see Lethe ( def. )
Explanation
Lethal refers to anything dangerous enough to cause death. The cobra's venom is so lethal that if you get bitten and can't find the antidote, it's lights out forever. Poisonous spiders, guns, knives, and radiation — all of these things can be lethal because they have the ability to kill. Even some substances that on their own aren't dangerous can become lethal in large quantities. Eating a peanut butter sandwich won't hurt most people, but it can be lethal to those with a nut allergy. Words like deadly and fatal have meanings that are similar to lethal.
Vocabulary lists containing lethal
100 SAT Words Beginning with "J," "K," and "L"
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A Long Way Gone
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Silent Spring
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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.
“AV is well-positioned to capture the rising global demand across lethal and non-lethal drones, counter-UAS, space and advanced technologies and deliver long-term shareholder value,” Chief Executive Officer Wahid Nawabi said.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 29, 2026
Dahlia and Mark sort through the brutalizing, even lethal implications for asylum seekers and more than 1 million recipients of temporary protected status, or TPS.
From Slate • Jun. 25, 2026
According to the department’s directive written in 2023, officers should consider voice commands and several alternatives before using lethal force.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 20, 2026
When they scored, it was a microcosm of their class, a lethal moment of accuracy and brilliance.
From BBC • Jun. 19, 2026
I came up for a second, took a deep breath, and swam for the rock, timing my strokes so I wouldn't be thrown onto the lethal surface.
From "City of the Plague God" by Sarwat Chadda
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.
