Definition

1. Adverb:
   • In a manner that causes or relates to death: Describes an action or condition that leads to or is connected with death.
   • To an extreme degree; intensely: Used figuratively to describe a powerful, often negative, emotion or state, such as fear, hatred, or jealousy, as if it were fatal.

Examples of Usage

• Literal (relating to death):
  • The soldier was mortally wounded in the battle. (He received injuries that would cause his death.)
• Figurative (extreme degree):
  • She is mortally afraid of spiders. (She experiences an intense, profound fear of them.)
  • The two rivals are mortally jealous of each other's success. (They feel an intense, deep-seated jealousy.)

Advanced Usage

• "mortally opposed": Intensely and irrevocably against something.
  • He is mortally opposed to any changes in the traditional policy.
• "mortally insulted": Deeply and grievously offended.
  • She felt mortally insulted by his casual remark.

Variants and Related Words

• Mortal (adjective):
  • Subject to death: All humans are mortal.
  • Causing death; fatal: He suffered a mortal blow.
  • Extreme or intense: They were mortal enemies.
• Mortality (noun): The state of being subject to death; the death rate.
  • The mortality rate from the disease has decreased.

Synonyms

• Fatally: In a manner leading to death.
• Deadly: Causing or likely to cause death.
• Profoundly: To a deep or intense degree.
• Intensely: With extreme strength or feeling.

Notes on Usage

• The figurative use of mortally to mean "extremely" is often applied to serious, grave, or negative emotions (e.g., ). It is less commonly used for positive feelings.
• In its literal sense, it is frequently paired with verbs like or .

Adverb

1. in such a manner that death ensues (also in reference to hatred, jealousy, fear, etc.)
   • a being of whom the forest Indians are said to be mortally afraid, with a hoof shaped like the heel of a bottle