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.
Both victims are believed to have been residents of the apartment complex where Carlton Neal Johnson II, 35, opened fire before he was fatally struck in an exchange of gunfire with police. — Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 4 Sep. 2026 The California woman who fled to Mexico after fatally stabbing her wife, a captain with the state’s wildland firefighting agency, was sentenced this week to 36 years to life in prison, officials said. — Tim Stelloh, NBC news, 3 Sep. 2026 They were found fatally stabbed and submerged in a bathtub full of water at a family shelter in the Bronx in November 2022, according to the outlets. — Melina Khan, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026 Olejniczak Marodi had previously been convicted of voluntary manslaughter for fatally stabbing husband James Joseph Olejniczak. — Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 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 7 Sep. 2026.

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