as in deadly
likely to cause or capable of causing death
we were lucky that the snake's venom wasn't lethal, and our friend turned out to be all right
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of lethal
The letter cited lethal autonomous weapons and mass surveillance as examples of potentially harmful applications of AI.
—
Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 27 Apr. 2026
Guards used non-lethal weapons to quell the fighting, bringing the situation under control in about 90 minutes, the Department of Corrections said at the time.
—ABC News, 27 Apr. 2026
Nearby radiation exceeded 200 roentgens per hour, with hotspots reaching 15,000 R/h — levels lethal within minutes.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 26 Apr. 2026
The previous rules, introduced in 1967 and enacted in 1976, restricted military exports to non-lethal arms, such as those used for surveillance and mine sweeping.
—Chas Newkey-Burden, TheWeek, 26 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lethal
Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 27 Apr. 2026
Guards used non-lethal weapons to quell the fighting, bringing the situation under control in about 90 minutes, the Department of Corrections said at the time.
—ABC News, 27 Apr. 2026
Nearby radiation exceeded 200 roentgens per hour, with hotspots reaching 15,000 R/h — levels lethal within minutes.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 26 Apr. 2026
The previous rules, introduced in 1967 and enacted in 1976, restricted military exports to non-lethal arms, such as those used for surveillance and mine sweeping.
—Chas Newkey-Burden, TheWeek, 26 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for lethal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lethal
Adjective
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As Operation Midway Blitz began to wind down in the Chicago area last November, federal immigration agents launched a new and deadly surge of enforcement in Minneapolis in December and earlier this year.—
Rick Pearson,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
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Dehydration can be dangerous and downright deadly, and that's even more true for a senior.—
Aly Walansky,
Travel + Leisure,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Homicide detectives are investigating the fatal shootings of three adults in Baldwin Park last week — two of whom were a married couple, officials said, who were being mourned by their college-age children.—
Karen Garcia,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Apr. 2026
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Police have arrested a man on murder and firearm charges in connection with a fatal shooting in Stratford earlier this month.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Restoring the balance of the humors through profusely bleeding the patient or inducing vomiting or diarrhea with the poisonous plant hellebore.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Apr. 2026
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There’s a steadiness to Tung/Wonder Woman that stands out for its quiet authority in a frequently goofy landscape peppered with poisonous robes and finger-eating minions.—
Sarah Shachat,
IndieWire,
24 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Lethal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lethal. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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