fatal

noun

A fatality; an event that leads to death.

(computing) A fatal error; a failure that causes a program to terminate.

adjective

Causing death or destruction.

(computing) Causing a sudden end to the running of a program.

(rare, archaic) Foreboding death or great disaster.

(rare, archaic) Proceeding from, or appointed by, fate or destiny.

Roots

fatumfat- · Latin · fate, destiny

Synonyms for fatal

fatefuladj deadlyadv calamitousadj lethaladj disastrousadj fatalityn funestn deathlyadv deadlinessn lethalityn tragicadj mortaladj accidentaladj catastrophicadj deathfuladj fatedadj banefuladj

Synonyms & related words for fatal

Find synonyms, related words, and the definition of fatal — including fateful, deadly, calamitous, lethal, disastrous, fatality. Dendril is a free visual thesaurus that shows them on an interactive map where stronger matches sit closer to the center — no signup, no ads.

Words related to fatal

Explore words related to fatal — words associated with it, words that go with it, and its nearest matches in meaning. Related words include nonfatal, fatally, nonlethal, fatefulness, mortally, deaths, lethally, sublethal. Click any word to make it the center of the map and keep exploring the web of connections.

Synonyms for fatal

Common synonyms for fatal include fateful, deadly, calamitous, lethal, disastrous, fatality, funest, deathly — words that share a close meaning. Hover or tap any word on the map for its definition and part of speech.

Where does fatal come from?

The word fatal breaks down into one root of Latin origin: the root fat-, from Latin fatum (“fate, destiny”). Explore each root to see other English words built from the same source.