Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adverb So as to cause death; mortally.
  • adverb So as to result in disaster or ruin.
  • adverb According to the decree of fate; inevitably.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • By a decree of fate or destiny; by inevitable predetermination.
  • In a manner leading to death or ruin; mortally; disastrously: as, the encounter ended fatally; the prince was fatally deceived.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adverb In a manner proceeding from, or determined by, fate.
  • adverb In a manner issuing in death or ruin; mortally; destructively.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adverb In a fatal manner; lethally.
  • adverb Ultimately, with finality or irrevocability, moving towards the demise of something.
  • adverb Fatedly; according to the dictates of fate or doom.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adverb with fatal consequences or implications

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

fatal +‎ -ly

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Examples

  • Zwelithini, have so far rejected the elections, saying they refuse to legitimise what they call a fatally flawed constitution that does not grant their region sufficient independence.

    ANC Daily News Briefing 1994

  • Zwelithini, have so far rejected the elections, saying they refuse to legitimise what they call a fatally flawed constitution that does not grant their region sufficient independence.

    ANC Daily News Briefing 1994

  • Zwelithini, have so far rejected the elections, saying they refuse to legitimise what they call a fatally flawed constitution that does not grant their region sufficient independence.

    ANC Daily News Briefing 1994

  • Her history is what Rove was talking about when he called her fatally flawed.

    Karl Rove Denies He's Attacking Hillary To Help Her 2009

  • Her history is what Rove was talking about when he called her fatally flawed.

    Karl Rove Denies He's Attacking Hillary To Help Her 2009

  • Even supposing that I have the most "modern" (that is, merely the latest) criticism to hand, and even supposing that by some omniscience of mine I can tell which is "the best" (that is, which part of it has really proved most ample, most painstaking, most general, and most sincere), even then the phrase fatally condemns me.

    First and Last Hilaire Belloc 1911

  • Tour de France rider had called "fatally dangerous," Voeckler, a Frenchman who leads the Tour standings with only four days to go, nearly crashed out of the race.

    NYT > Global Home By ERIC PFANNER 2011

  • The 24-year-old from Lillehammer was unfazed by a final 8km from the summit of the Cote de Pramartino labelled "fatally dangerous" by two-time Tour runner-up Andy Schleck before the stage.

    Evening Standard - Home 2011

  • Trooper responding to domestic call fatally shot in northwestern Pa., search on for gunman

    Gaea Times (by Simple Thoughts) Breaking News and incisive views 24/7 2010

  • With Sachin Tendulkar calling fatally for a non-existent single to cover (Dhoni responding before saying no), India at tea led by 252 but with only four wickets in reserve.

    The Hindu - Front Page 2008

Comments

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  • So many ghits for "fatally killed" and "fatally stabbed to death", and almost all bona-fide news stories.

    September 2, 2008

  • I blame ghits for everything.

    September 2, 2008