damages 1 of 2

noun

plural of damage
1
as in penalty
a sum of money to be paid as a punishment ordered by the court to pay $1000 in damages

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in reparation
payment to another for a loss or injury the company was forced to pay millions in damages to the permanently disabled worker

Synonyms & Similar Words

damages

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of damage
1
as in injures
to reduce the soundness, effectiveness, or perfection of the explosion in the sewers damaged the entire city's water supply

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in wounds
to cause bodily damage to his knee was badly damaged in the accident, and he walked with a limp for months

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of damages
Noun
The plaintiffs say the company's historic emissions made the disaster worse and are seeking compensation for deaths and damages. — ABC News, 3 July 2026 Another jury verdict, still under appeal, awarded her around $83 million in damages for defamation. — Ted Johnson, Deadline, 29 June 2026 The Supreme Court’s Tuesday decisions on trans athletes in women's sports did not award damages to any female athletes impacted. — Jackson Thompson Outkick, FOXNews.com, 2 July 2026 According to the complaint, the Barbours are seeking personal injury damages for their physical injuries, and survival and wrongful death damages for Avila's estate. — Paloma Chavez, PEOPLE, 3 July 2026 In the lawsuit, Flagg is asking for injunctive relief, damages, profits and attorneys' fees, arguing Swift's use of the phrase could create consumer confusion and damage the value of her existing brand. — Liza Esquibias, USA Today, 6 July 2026 Most kinds of lawsuit damages are taxable, including employment cases, property loss or damage, defamation, emotional distress, invasion of privacy, credit reporting and consumer cases, and many others. — Robert W. Wood, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026 Brown must also pay $885,000 in damages to Patricia Avila, who was present during the dog attack on her sister, and $50,000 in damages to Maria’s husband. — Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026 The civils lawsuits were enabled by California law AB 218 which went into effect in 2020, which expanded the statute of limitations and allowed for triple damages against institutions that covered up the abuse. — Carlos E. Castañeda, CBS News, 29 June 2026
Verb
Your Eyes High blood pressure also damages the sensitive back lining of the eye called the retina. — Angela Ryan Lee, Verywell Health, 23 June 2026 Kidneys and livers often need to be transplanted together as liver failure often damages kidneys. — Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 7 June 2026 Roslovic’s poor playoff showing severely damages his chances of earning an extension with the Oilers for next season and of a sizable deal elsewhere. — Shayna Goldman, New York Times, 10 June 2026 Over time, that persistent immune activation can create chronic inflammation that damages blood vessels and increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, and blood clots. — Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 9 June 2026 Most notably, those who switched faced a 24% higher risk of developing diabetic retinopathy, a condition that damages the blood vessels in the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. — Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 26 June 2026 She was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease eight years ago, a neurological disorder that damages brain cells, leading to symptoms like uncontrollable movements, tremors, and balance issues. — Madeline Montgomery, CBS News, 3 June 2026 Scientists theorize that exposing flowering tomato plants to temperatures below 50°F damages the flowers. — Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 31 May 2026 Dana Sue and Ronnie's strained relationship is exasperated by a fire that breaks out — accelerated by off-brand e-bikes Ronnie bought behind Dana Sue’s back and stored in their garage — and damages their house. — Francesca Gariano, PEOPLE, 13 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for damages
  1. penalty
  2. reparation
  3. injures
  4. wounds
  5. fine
  6. compensation
  7. mars
  8. hurts
Noun
  • Egypt defeated Australia 4-2 in a penalty-kick shootout Friday after the teams played to a 1-1 tie after 120 minutes in Arlington, Texas.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 4 July 2026
  • After the penalty granted by VAR, Cristiano Ronaldo stepped into the box and scored his first carrer goal in a World Cup knockout match.
    — Ashley Mowreader, NBC news, 3 July 2026
Definition of penalty
Noun
  • Alameda County supervisors voted Tuesday to create a permanent reparations committee for Black residents, moving a sweeping set of recommendations from study to the harder question of implementation.
    — Chase Hunter, Mercury News, 1 July 2026
  • This vessel has a controversial past, built by Nazi Germany in 1935 as SSS *Horst Wessel*, named after a Nazi martyr, before being taken as war reparations by the US.
    — Peter Suciu, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
Definition of reparation
Verb
  • Early on in the clip, Jake Johnson’s former tennis star Dusty Boyd trips over the net and injures his wrist in a bad way.
    — Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 23 June 2026
  • Who is responsible when a robot breaks something or injures someone?
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 13 June 2026
Definition of injures
Verb
  • Chops, gouges, wounds it like the shadow grooves on the sidewalks—the sun is setting earlier.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Mar. 2026
  • Imperfect fleshly reality occupies the stage, the region where bones crack and wounds suppurate, schlumpy humans fall for each other, and jealousy roams murderously free.
    — Justin Davidson, Vulture, 11 Mar. 2026
Definition of wounds
Noun
  • The public funds cannot be used for legal costs, fines or to pay back personal loans to a campaign.
    — Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
  • Violators get warning letters before fines are given, and ultimately, water may be disconnected.
    — Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 5 July 2026
Definition of fine
Noun
  • In addition to the monetary compensation and scholarship awards, pageantry is also helping the girls build confidence and learn key behavioral skills.
    — Zoey Lyttle, PEOPLE, 3 July 2026
  • Take action to protect your identity Offers in this section are from affiliate partners and selected based on a combination of engagement, product relevance, compensation, and consistent availability.
    — Brian Sloan, CNBC, 3 July 2026
Definition of compensation
Verb
  • Jacob Whitehead Homophobic chant mars Mexico’s win Before the World Cup, the Mexican football federation launched a campaign that featured the heroes of the country’s 1986 World Cup side.
    — Jack Lang, New York Times, 26 June 2026
  • No sadness mars the purity of its paranoia.
    — Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 22 Mar. 2026
Definition of mars
Verb
  • Advertisement Losing your leading World Cup goalscorer hurts, especially against a Belgian side that, despite its shaky moments at this tournament, is still stocked with talent.
    — Sean Gregory, Time, 2 July 2026
  • The practice is anti-competitive and hurts consumers, antitrust experts say.
    — Audrey McGlinchy, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026
Definition of hurts

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Cite this Entry

“Damages.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/damages. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on damages

Nglish: Translation of damages for Spanish Speakers

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