What is the difference between fatal and lethal

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Load more articles. High-powered cars are lethal weapons in the hands of inexperienced drivers. Fatal is used to mean something- conditions, circumstances, or events- that has caused someone's death.

The word fatal is used for an incident after which the incident has become deadly. For example, An accident becomes fatal when someone has killed in the accident. A disease becomes fatal when the disease has killed someone. If corona attacks him again, it could be fatal. On the other hand, Lethal is something- a weapon, an instrument, any food- that is capable of killing someone: a lethal disease is a disease that is capable of killing those who suffer from it, a lethal weapon is a weapon that can kill people.

Nuclear bomb is a lethal weapon. HIV is a lethal virus. Lethal is used to describe something that causes death whereas fatal is typically used to describe a condition that will lead to death.

Fatal is somehow related to fate. Now think about that fatal is something that brings fate or destiny to you. One more we can memorize the words: Fat al has the word fat. We know that fat has killed many people. Hence being fat is fatal. This way we can memorized fatal. Lethal has Let in front of the word.

Let means to allow. Now we use mnemonic, lethal is something that lets you go. Here "go" implies "death". Lethal is something that has ability to kill. Guns, bombs, poison, knives, wild animals, and radiation- these are lethal because they have power to kill. Question about English US. What is the difference between fatal and lethal?

Feel free to just provide example sentences. Report copyright infringement. The owner of it will not be notified. Only the user who asked this question will see who disagreed with this answer. Read more comments. Could someone pin the exact difference in usage between these words?

Are the following sentences alright, for instance? Your understanding is already close to the mark. There's a discussion of the synonyms for fatal in the American Heritage Dictionary:. Fatal describes conditions, circumstances, or events that have caused or are destined to cause death or dire consequences: a fatal illness.

Deadly means capable of killing: a deadly poison. Mortal describes a condition or action that produces death: a mortal wound. Lethal refers to a sure agent of death that may have been created solely for the purpose of killing: execution by lethal injection. Thus, fatal and mortal are more often used to describe the immediate circumstances of death, whereas lethal is used more to describe agency.

For example, you use a lethal weapon to strike a fatal blow. Note also that fatal doesn't always refer to death: As a word relating to fate and doom, it's applicable to any catastrophic outcome, not just deadly ones.

For example, any plan can have a fatal flaw, but only deadly flaws are lethal. Sign up to join this community.