What does "fatality" mean?
The state proceeding from destiny; invincible necessity, superior to, and independent of, free and rational control.
Fatality
/feɪˈtælɪti/ noun
noun ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The state proceeding from destiny; invincible necessity, superior to, and independent of, free and rational control.
- Grammar: fatality is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: appointed lot, astral influences, astrology, balefulness.
- Useful contrasts: benignity, disaster survivor, harmlessness.
- Usage evidence: In Japan, officials say an 80-year woman who died in a hospital on the outskirts of Tokyo has become the nation's first coronavirus fatality.
How to use "fatality"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "fatality" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "fatality" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "fatality" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "fatality" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "fatality" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "appointed lot" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "fatality", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The state proceeding from destiny; invincible necessity, superior to, and independent of, free and rational control.
- 2 the quality of being able to cause death or fatal disasters wordnet
- 3 Tendency to death, destruction or danger, as if by decree of fate.
- 4 a death resulting from an accident or a disaster wordnet
- 5 That which is decreed by fate or which is fatal; a fatal event.
"What can I say, or think of this most terrible of fatalities?"
Show 4 more definitions
- 6 Death.
- 7 An accident that causes death.
"the whole thing felt like being in a near traffic fatality avoided by inches and later not being able to think of the whole thing lest you begin shaking..."
- 8 A person killed.
- 9 A move used to deliver a coup de grâce to a defeated opponent.
"My first enchantment with computers came when I was about six years old, in Montreal in the early nineties, playing Mortal Kombat with my oldest brother. He told me about some “fatalities”—gruesome, witty ways of killing your opponent."
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"In Japan, officials say an 80-year woman who died in a hospital on the outskirts of Tokyo has become the nation's first coronavirus fatality."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "fatality"?
Common synonyms include: appointed lot, astral influences, astrology, balefulness, banefulness, bodefulness.
How do you use "fatality" in a sentence?
In Japan, officials say an 80-year woman who died in a hospital on the outskirts of Tokyo has become the nation's first coronavirus fatality.
How do you pronounce "fatality"?
Pronounced /feɪˈtælɪti/.
Etymology
From French fatalité. equivalent to fatal + -ity. The video game move sense was popularized by the Mortal Kombat series.