Fatality usually means a deaththe end of life; when a person no longer lives caused by an accidentan unplanned harmful event that happens by chance, disaster, or other harmful event. It can also mean the quality of being deadlyable or likely to cause death or likely to cause death.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-20. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Pronunciation
AI-generated pronunciation audio (OpenAI).
Accent: General American English
IPA: /feɪˈtælɪti/
Easy pronunciation: fay-TAL-ih-tee (approximate spelling).
Stress: Primary stress is on the second syllable: TAL.
Use this pronunciation for the noun meaning a death resulting from an accident or disaster.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-20. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Fatality Meaning
a death caused by an accident, disaster, or similar event
Part of speech: noun
Definition: a death resulting from an accident or a disaster
Example: The storm caused several fatalities overnight.
Synonyms for this meaning:
- human death — This is the only supplied synonym, but it is a broad phrase rather than a natural everyday substitute.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-20. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Other Meanings of Fatality
Meaning 2
the quality of being deadly or capable of causing death
Part of speech: noun
Definition: the quality of being able to cause death or fatal disasters
Example: The fatality of the poison made immediate treatment essential.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: inaccurate — correction needed. Checked: 2026-10-20. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Fatality Synonyms
Similar Meaning
- human death
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-20. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- People sometimes confuse fatality with mortality. Mortality is the general fact or rate of death, while fatality usually refers to an actual death from an event.
- Do not use fatality to mean simply 'danger' or 'bad luck'.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-20. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does fatality mean in simple English?
Fatality usually means a death caused by an accident, disaster, or other harmful event.
Is fatality the same as death?
Not exactly. Death is the general word. Fatality is often used for a death connected with an accident, disaster, or similar event.
Can fatality mean deadly?
Yes. In some contexts, it can mean the quality of being able to cause death.
What is a common synonym for fatality?
A close dictionary synonym is human death, though it is not a very natural everyday replacement.
Reviewed with OpenAI Decisions. Assessment: accurate. Checked: 2026-10-20. AI assessment; not a guarantee of accuracy.
