fatal

USAGE SUMMARY

The word 'fatal' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe something that is disastrous or has a severe, unfortunate outcome. For example: The delay in the construction project resulted in a fatal blow to the budget.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"It is in our vital national interest that we avoid the fatal mistake that would be a no vote if a referendum is held in the next few years".

The Guardian

The fatal shooting of Ramirez was recorded by the dashboard camera in Morrison's patrol car.

The Guardian

Whoever fired at her hadn't been able to track her down with dogs and dispose of the tag because the shot had not immediately been fatal: Betty had flapped on for several miles before collapsing on the ground.

The Guardian

With about 30 minutes to go before Hill was injected with a fatal dose of the sedative pentobarbital, two separate courts stepped in to impose a temporary delay in the proceedings.

The Guardian

A fourth man has died from what police fear is a potentially fatal batch of ecstasy being sold on British streets.

The Guardian

She knew I would write about her fatal illness".

The Guardian - Books

Australian Customs and Border Protection (CBP) services and related rescue agencies need to improve interagency co-ordination of rescues of asylum seekers in distress, internal reviews into three fatal boat sinkings have said.

The Guardian

Film from cameras equipped with mobile automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) is being analysed to establish whether a pattern can be detected of vehicles on the fatal nights.

The Guardian

"If [women] are in remote and rural areas a couple of hours away from where they can get fluid and blood it's a fatal episode, which is possibly one of the reasons [for current laws]," Parker said.

The Guardian

For a second night in a row, racially charged protests took place around the US after a Missouri grand jury decided not to indict a white policeman in the fatal shooting of unarmed black teenager, Michael Brown.

The Guardian

"I thought it was verging on fatal already, but this is too much".

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using "fatal" in situations where the outcome is merely undesirable but not life-threatening or destructive. Opt for less severe adjectives like "unfortunate" or "problematic" in such cases.

Common error

Avoid exaggerating situations by describing them as "fatal" when the consequences are not dire. Reserve this word for instances involving death, destruction, or irreversible damage.

Linguistic Context

The word "fatal" primarily functions as an adjective, modifying nouns to indicate that something causes death, destruction, or a critical failure. Ludwig AI confirms this usage across numerous examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The adjective "fatal" is used to describe outcomes resulting in death or significant destruction. According to Ludwig AI, this word is grammatically correct and very commonly found in news and media contexts. When writing, it's important to reserve "fatal" for situations of extreme severity. Alternatives like "deadly" or "lethal" can be used to create a similar effect, while it is important to avoid using it in situations where the consequences are merely undesirable but not life-threatening or destructive. Overusing "fatal" in less critical situations can diminish its impact when describing genuinely catastrophic events.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

deadly

Direct synonym emphasizing the capacity to cause death.

lethal

Synonym focusing on the death-causing nature of something.

mortal

Describes something subject to death or causing death.

life-threatening

Focuses on the potential for causing death.

deadly serious

Emphasizes extreme importance and potential for severe consequences.

critical

Highlights the importance and potential for severe consequences or failure.

destructive

Focuses on the capacity to cause significant damage or harm.

calamitous

Implies a disastrous and unfortunate outcome.

disastrous

Describes something that has resulted in complete failure or great misfortune.

catastrophic

Highlights the scale of the damage caused.

FAQs

How is "fatal" typically used in a sentence?

The word "fatal" is used to describe something that causes death or disastrous failure. For instance, "a fatal accident" or "a fatal error" indicates an outcome resulting in loss of life or critical malfunction.

What are some synonyms for "fatal"?

Alternatives to "fatal" include "deadly", "lethal", "mortal", and "life-threatening". The best choice depends on the specific context.

When is it appropriate to use "fatal" instead of "serious"?

"Fatal" should be used when the outcome involves death, whereas "serious" indicates severity without necessarily implying death. A "serious injury" might require hospitalization, but a "fatal injury" results in death.

Is there a difference between "fatal" and "fateful"?

"Fatal" describes something that causes death or disastrous results, while "fateful" refers to an event that is destined to have significant consequences, not necessarily negative. "Fateful" suggests destiny or importance, while "fatal" focuses on the lethal outcome.