deadly applies to an established or very likely cause of death.
a deadly disease
mortal implies that death has occurred or is inevitable.
a mortal wound
fatal stresses the inevitability of what has in fact resulted in death or destruction.
fatal consequences
lethal applies to something that is bound to cause death or exists for the destruction of life.
lethal gas
Example Sentences
a disease that is often fatal a chemical that can be fatal to birds She made a fatal mistake.
Recent Examples on the WebPolio vaccines are 99% effective against paralytic polio, which can be fatal in 2% to 10% of cases. Aria Bendix, NBC News, 9 Sep. 2022 In the worst case, giving your dog Ibuprofen or Tylenol could be fatal, says rover.com. Olivia Munson, USA TODAY, 8 Sep. 2022 Traditionally, pickers wearing spiked shoes climb the trees -- which can grow to 20 meters (about 65 feet) -- and falls can be fatal. Kathleen Magramo, CNN, 8 Sep. 2022 Several maulings have been reported in the Anchorage area this year, including one on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in May that was fatal. Tess Williams, Anchorage Daily News, 8 Sep. 2022 That combination of high heat and humidity is potentially fatal, scientists say. Insiya Syed, WSJ, 6 Sep. 2022 Although most people recover from Legionnaires' with antibiotics, certain patients -- including those who are immunocompromised or who suffer from chronic lung diseases -- can develop complications that can be fatal. Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 5 Sep. 2022 Police arrived at 10124 Whispering Pines and found Daniel Felton, 65, of South Madison, Miss., in the driveway with a gunshot wound that proved to be fatal. Grant Lancaster, Arkansas Online, 5 Sep. 2022 The Lancet Infectious Diseases in 2019, reported that among 122 cases there, seven had been fatal. Andrew Joseph, STAT, 1 Sep. 2022 See More
Word History
Etymology
Middle English, from Latin fatalis, from fatum fate
1causing death致命VERBS | ADVERB | PREPOSITIONVERBS➤be, prove致命;證明致命ADVERB➤nearly (especially NAmE) (near-fatal in BrE)幾近致命◇He has not driven since his nearly fatal accident earlier this year.自從今年較早時那次差點兒喪命的車禍之後,他就沒有開過車。(near-fatal in BrE)➤always, invariably總是/無一例外地有致命性➤often, sometimes, usually常會/有時會/通常會致命的▸➤rarely很少會致命的▸➤possibly, potentially可能致命的;有潛在致命威脅的◇a possibly fatal setback to his plans可能導致他計劃完全失敗的因素◇The disease is potentially fatal.這種疾病可能會致命。PREPOSITION➤for對⋯來說致命的◇This kind of accident is almost always fatal for the pilot.飛行員遇到這類事故,幾乎無一幸免於難。➤to對⋯致命的◇a chemical which is invariably fatal to small mammals對小型哺乳動物無一例外會致命的一種化學品fatal
adjective²
2causing serious trouble引發災難VERBS | ADVERB | PREPOSITIONVERBS➤be, prove有毀滅性;證明有毀滅性ADVERB➤absolutely絕對毀滅性的▸➤ultimately結局悲慘的◇Her disregard of this advice was ultimately fatal.她不聽這個建議,結局是災難性的。PREPOSITION➤to對⋯是毀滅性的◇Tax increases have proved fatal to the nation's business community.事實已證明,加稅對該國的企業界造成了致命打擊。