fatally sick

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "fatally sick" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe someone who is seriously ill, with a condition that is likely to lead to death. Example: "The doctors confirmed that he was fatally sick, and the family began to prepare for the worst."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

But beneficiaries of the feast on July 9 began getting sick — fatally sick.

The New York Times

A week before he was to sail, Aldridge fell fatally sick, possibly as a result of a lung condition.

The New Yorker

Soon, the infrastructure of the towns and cities began to fail: power cuts were widespread; thousands of trains were cancelled due to buckled rails; hundreds of fruit bats fell lifeless from the trees; koalas began behaving bizarrely, wandering into gardens to drink from swimming pools; the heat began to make people fatally sick.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

Meerkats in the Kalahari desert are known to sacrifice their own safety by staying with sick or injured family members so that the fatally ill will not die alone.

SEP

She is fatally ill.

The New Yorker

With its "dismal shade" and predatory insects (reminding us of the worm that destroys the sick rose) this hellish tree suggests a fatally compromised Eden.

The Guardian - Books

He argued the current healthcare plan is fatally flawed because it uses money from healthy people to pay for sick people — or in other words, how insurance works.

Vice

Leszczyńska said: "It's sick to consider forcing women to give a birth to a fatally damaged child.

The Guardian

A 31-year-old woman was fatally shot outside a Brooklyn hospital on Tuesday after briefly leaving the bedside of her sick daughter, the police said.

The New York Times

Not fatally.

The New Yorker

One was fatally injured.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing a severe illness, consider using "terminally ill" or "critically ill" as more common and widely understood alternatives to "fatally sick".

Common error

Avoid using "fatally sick" in contexts where a more neutral or clinical term would be appropriate. The phrase can sound overly dramatic or sensational in some situations.

Linguistic Context

"Fatally sick" functions as an adverb-adjective phrase, modifying a noun or pronoun to describe the severity and likely outcome of an illness. Ludwig examples show it being used to characterize someone as being in a life-threatening condition due to sickness. Ludwig AI confirms that the phrase is correct and usable.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "fatally sick" is a grammatically correct, but somewhat uncommon, way to describe someone who is severely ill and likely to die. Ludwig's analysis of sources shows its use primarily in news and media contexts. While acceptable, alternatives like "terminally ill" or "critically ill" are more frequently used and might be preferable in clinical or formal settings. Ludwig AI confirms the phrase is correct but suggests considering context and tone when choosing it over other options.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

terminally ill

Replaces "fatally sick" with a more common and accepted term for an illness that will result in death.

critically ill

Focuses on the severity of the illness and the immediate danger to life.

gravely ill

Similar to critically ill, emphasizing the seriousness of the illness.

mortally wounded

Shifts the context from illness to injury, indicating a wound likely to cause death.

fatally injured

Focuses on the injury being the direct cause of potential death.

on death's door

An idiomatic expression indicating someone is very close to dying.

near death

Describes someone who is very close to dying, either from illness or injury.

in a life-threatening condition

Emphasizes the immediate danger to the person's life.

beyond recovery

Highlights the lack of hope for the person's survival.

at the point of death

Emphasizes the proximity to death.

FAQs

What does "fatally sick" mean?

The phrase "fatally sick" means someone is so severely ill that they are likely to die from their illness. It emphasizes the life-threatening nature of the sickness.

What can I say instead of "fatally sick"?

You can use alternatives like "terminally ill", "critically ill", or "gravely ill" depending on the context.

Is "fatally sick" a common phrase?

No, "fatally sick" is not a very common phrase. Alternatives such as "terminally ill" or "critically ill" are more frequently used.

Is it correct to say "fatally ill"?

While "fatally sick" and "fatally ill" are similar, "fatally ill" is generally considered more standard. However, both phrases convey the idea of an illness that will likely lead to death.