fatally

adverb

fa·​tal·​ly ˈfā-tᵊl-ē How to pronounce fatally (audio)
1
: in a way determined by fate
2
: in a manner suggesting fate or an act of fate: such as
a
: in a manner resulting in death : mortally
fatally wounded
b
: beyond repair : irrevocably
c
: in a manner resulting in ruin or evil
It is fatally easy to pass off our prejudices as our opinions.—W. F. Hambly
d
: in a manner that cannot be easily resisted
… thinks she is fatally attractive …—J. W. Krutch

Examples of fatally in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Three people are facing charges in connection with the death of a 4-year-old girl who was fatally hit by a car in Manchester in June. — Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 28 Aug. 2026 One of dogs was fatally shot by a Mecklenburg County sheriff’s deputy, and its carcass will be submitted for a necropsy and rabies testing, officials said. — Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 27 Aug. 2026 Authorities have said that Tyrin Johnson turned toward guard members with a gun while running from them in the early morning hours after the Fourth of July holiday in Memphis when he was fatally shot in the chest. — ABC News, 27 Aug. 2026 Evidence presented at trial showed that Humphreys forced his two victims to strip naked and give him their bank PINs before fatally shooting them. — Dan Raby, CBS News, 27 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for fatally

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of fatally was in the 15th century

Rhymes for fatally

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Browse Nearby Words

fatalize
fatally
fatalness
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Cite this Entry

“Fatally.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fatally. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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