Meaning & use

lethal

adjective·Academic

Capable of causing death; extremely dangerous or deadly.

See it in a sentence

The snake's bite delivers a lethal dose of venom within minutes.

Investigators determined the wound was not lethal, and the victim survived.

A note on using this word

Lethal can also be used figuratively for something extremely effective or damaging, as in "a lethal argument" that destroys an opponent's position.

Words with a similar meaning

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Words with an opposite meaning

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