fatally

adverb

fa·​tal·​ly ˈfā-tᵊl-ē 

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

While luring the men into the chapel, Janet was fatally stabbed in the abdomen. — Max Gao, HollywoodReporter, 5 Oct. 2026

Sacramento County sheriff’s officials recovered the weapon used by the 34-year-old man fatally shot by deputies Sunday near Marconi and Eastern avenues and said he had been arrested on gun charges at the same intersection in June. — Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 5 Oct. 2026

Last year in Arizona, a motorcyclist was fatally injured after hitting a Waymo and being flung into the road. — Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026

The 37-year-old was fatally shot by a federal agent during an immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota. — Brittney Melton, NPR, 2 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for fatally

• postnatally
• prenatally