What does lethal mean?

What does lethal mean?

• A. Harmless under normal conditions
• B. Sufficient to cause death
• C. Not lethal
• D. Causes long-term cancer

Answer: (B)

Lethal describes something capable of causing death. It refers to a level of exposure or dose that could be fatal if reached, not a guarantee that it will kill every time. The idea is about the potential to cause death, which is why a substance or condition described as lethal is not simply “dangerous” or “harmful” but specifically able to result in death under the right (or worst) circumstances. That’s why the best way to phrase it is “sufficient to cause death,” as it emphasizes the outcome that could occur with enough exposure. In contrast, “harmless under normal conditions” and “not lethal” describe situations where death is unlikely or not expected, and “causes long-term cancer” points to a different health effect entirely, not the immediate death outcome.

Lethal describes something capable of causing death. It refers to a level of exposure or dose that could be fatal if reached, not a guarantee that it will kill every time. The idea is about the potential to cause death, which is why a substance or condition described as lethal is not simply “dangerous” or “harmful” but specifically able to result in death under the right (or worst) circumstances. That’s why the best way to phrase it is “sufficient to cause death,” as it emphasizes the outcome that could occur with enough exposure.

In contrast, “harmless under normal conditions” and “not lethal” describe situations where death is unlikely or not expected, and “causes long-term cancer” points to a different health effect entirely, not the immediate death outcome.