collateral damage

noun

Synonyms of collateral damagenext
: injury inflicted on something other than an intended target
specifically : civilian casualties of a military operation

Examples of collateral damage in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The company says the design supports precision strikes while reducing the risk of collateral damage. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 20 Oct. 2026 There even seemed to be some collateral damage in the market on other AI companies, too. — Elizabeth Lopatto, The Verge, 19 Oct. 2026 When Tommy dies as collateral damage of Carrie’s violence in the finale, his final words will be about those same stars. — Hunter Ingram, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026 Dissatisfaction among commercial fishermen could cause collateral damage for Republicans in competitive races in Washington, Alaska and Maine. — Patrick Whittle, Fortune, 4 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for collateral damage

Word History

First Known Use

1947, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of collateral damage was in 1947

Rhymes for collateral damage

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Browse Nearby Words

collateral
collateral damage
collateral issue
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Cite this Entry

“Collateral damage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/collateral%20damage. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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