lethal

[ lee-thuhl ]

/ ˈli θəl /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for: lethal / lethality / lethalness on Thesaurus.com

adjective

of, relating to, or causing death; deadly; fatal: a lethal weapon;a lethal dose.

made or carried out to cause death: a lethal chamber;a lethal attack.

causing great harm or destruction: The disclosures were lethal to his candidacy.

QUIZ

ARE YOU A TRUE BLUE CHAMPION OF THESE "BLUE" SYNONYMS?

We could talk until we're blue in the face about this quiz on words for the color "blue," but we think you should take the quiz and find out if you're a whiz at these colorful terms.

Question 1 of 8

Which of the following words describes “sky blue”?

navy

beryl

azure

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Meet Grammar Coach

Write or paste your essay, email, or story into Grammar Coach and get grammar help

Improve Your Writing

Meet Grammar CoachImprove Your Writing

Origin of lethal

First recorded in 1575–85; from Latin lētālis, equivalent to lēt(um) “death” + -ālis -al¹; spelling (hence pronunciation) with -h- by association with Greek lḗthē “oblivion”; see Lethe

synonym study for lethal

1. See fatal.

OTHER WORDS FROM lethal

le·thal·i·ty [lee-thal-i-tee], /liˈθæl ɪ ti/, le·thal·ness, nounle·thal·ly, adverbhy·per·le·thal, adjectivenon·le·thal, adjective

non·le·thal·ly, adverbsem·i·le·thal, adjective

Words nearby lethal

let drop, let fly, let go, let grass grow, Letha, lethal, lethal chamber, lethal dose, lethal factor, lethal gene, lethality

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

How to use lethal in a sentence

Military education must be about more than how to effectively apply lethal force and undertake combat operations.
The U.S. Military Needs to Fight Extremism in Its Own Ranks. Here's How|James Stavridis|February 5, 2021|Time
Variants are emerging that could be more contagious and more lethal than existing strains.
Here’s why vaccines can end our covid nightmare|Leana Wen|February 5, 2021|Washington Post
The mutation appears to spread more easily than other variants, but there is no evidence that it is more lethal or causes more severe illness.
Coronavirus variant first found in South Africa has now arrived in Maryland|Samantha Schmidt, Meagan Flynn|January 30, 2021|Washington Post
The exception is the variant spreading in the United Kingdom, which may be roughly 30 percent more lethal, British scientists said recently, acknowledging their evidence is preliminary.
Coronavirus mutations add urgency to vaccination effort as experts warn of long battle ahead|Joel Achenbach, Ariana Eunjung Cha|January 30, 2021|Washington Post

So it’s a highly lethal malignancy where we definitely need to make additional advances.
How to Fix the Incentives in Cancer Research (Ep. 449)|Stephen J. Dubner|January 28, 2021|Freakonomics
But others say a still-unidentified man likely fired the round that caused a lethal head wound.
Exclusive: Bin Laden ‘Shooter’ Under Investigation for Leaking Secrets|Shane Harris|December 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
After World War I, unions began their losing and lethal battle with textile owners across the South.
Glenn Beck Is Now Selling Hipster Clothes. Really.|Ana Marie Cox|December 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Servin is a rarity: A cop who is being tried for his lethal actions.
Chicago’s Cops Don’t Even Get Investigated for Shooting People in the Back|Justin Glawe|December 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Here are just a few of the most egregious uses of lethal force by Chicago police.
Chicago’s Cops Don’t Even Get Investigated for Shooting People in the Back|Justin Glawe|December 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
“Here the implementation of lethal force was a reasonable response under the circumstances,” she said.
Worse Than Eric Garner: Cops Who Got Away With Killing Autistic Men and Little Girls|Emily Shire|December 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Our friend, however, was new to the camera, and (very pardonably) thought that it was a lethal weapon.
The Cradle of Mankind|W.A. Wigram
(60 grains) of concentrated acid killed an adult, is the smallest lethal dose on record.
Poisons: Their Effects and Detection|Alexander Wynter Blyth
As my fist completed but half its lethal orbit, the officer blew up in my face!
"And That's How It Was, Officer"|Ralph Sholto
"Captain, there are lethal radiations being released here," he said.
The Colors of Space|Marion Zimmer Bradley
In the hold, Kerk and Meta had opened some of the crates and were chortling with joy over their lethal contents.
Deathworld|Harry Harrison

British Dictionary definitions for lethal

lethal

/ (ˈliːθəl) /

adjective

able to cause or causing death

of or suggestive of death

Derived forms of lethal

lethality (liːˈθælɪtɪ), nounlethally, adverb

Word Origin for lethal

C16: from Latin lēthālis, from lētum death

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

Medical definitions for lethal

lethal

[ lē′thəl ]

adj.

Capable of causing death.

Of, relating to, or causing death.

lethal

Origin of lethal

synonym study for lethal

OTHER WORDS FROM lethal

Words nearby lethal

Words related to lethal

How to use lethal in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for lethal

Derived forms of lethal

Word Origin for lethal

Medical definitions for lethal