FATAL

Pronunciation (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does fatal mean? 

• FATAL (adjective)
  The adjective FATAL has 4 senses:

1. bringing death
2. having momentous consequences; of decisive importance
3. (of events) having extremely unfortunate or dire consequences; bringing ruin
4. controlled or decreed by fate; predetermined

  Familiarity information: FATAL used as an adjective is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• FATAL (adjective)

Meaning:

Bringing death

Similar:

deadly; deathly; mortal (causing or capable of causing death)

deadly; lethal (of an instrument of certain death)

terminal (causing or ending in or approaching death)

Antonym:

nonfatal (not bringing death)

Meaning:

Having momentous consequences; of decisive importance

Synonyms:

fateful; fatal

Context examples:

that fateful meeting of the U.N. when...it declared war on North Korea / the fatal day of the election finally arrived

Similar:

decisive (determining or having the power to determine an outcome)

Meaning:

(of events) having extremely unfortunate or dire consequences; bringing ruin

Synonyms:

calamitous; disastrous; fatal; fateful; black

Context examples:

the stock market crashed on Black Friday / a calamitous defeat / the battle was a disastrous end to a disastrous campaign / such doctrines, if true, would be absolutely fatal to my theory / it is fatal to enter any war without the will to win it / a fateful error

Similar:

unfortunate (not favored by fortune; marked or accompanied by or resulting in ill fortune)

Meaning:

Controlled or decreed by fate; predetermined

Synonyms:

fatal; fateful

Context example:

a fatal series of events

Similar:

inevitable (incapable of being avoided or prevented)