causing disaster or failure
a fatal error/mistake

Any delay would be fatal.

There was a fatal flaw in the plan.

It’d be fatal to try and stop them now.

causing or ending in death
a fatal accident/blow/illness
致命的事故/一击/疾病
a potentially fatal form of cancer
潜在致死型癌症
If she gets ill again it could prove fatal.
如果她再患病,就会有性命之忧。