damaged; damaging
: to cause damage (see damage entry 1 sense 1) to
don't damage the furniture
returning soldiers damaged by war
damager
noun
Synonyms
Examples of damage in a Sentence
Noun
The items were carefully wrapped to protect them from damage during shipping.
The city sustained heavy damage during the war.
Fortunately the boat suffered no serious damage in the storm.
The fall caused considerable damage to her knee.
The disease is known to cause permanent brain damage.
The scandal caused significant damage to her career.
You've said enough. Please leave before you do any more damage.
He tried to repair the damage by apologizing.
He apologized, but the damage was already done.
Verb
Please return any items that are damaged during shipping.
Many homes were damaged or completely destroyed in the fire.
The fall severely damaged her knee.
Smoking can seriously damage your lungs.
The scandal significantly damaged her career.
This news will damage his reputation.
He was worried that his comments had damaged their relationship.
He's trying to repair his damaged reputation.
Recent Examples on the Web
Sammy Westfall, Washington Post, 16 Apr. 2024
Chance Brannon, 24, pleaded guilty last November to all four counts of conspiracy, malicious destruction of property by fire and explosives, possession of an unregistered destructive device, and intentional damage to a reproductive health services facility, according to the Department of Justice.
—USA TODAY, 16 Apr. 2024
In other wildfire news, Pacific Gas & Electric is facing another lawsuit over the 2021 Dixie fire, this one from timber companies seeking $225 million in damages, my colleague Hannah Wiley reports.
—Sammy Roth, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2024
Dry, red, and irritated skin also can result from damage to nerves (diabetic neuropathy), particularly nerves in the legs and feet.
—Elizabeth Woolley, Verywell Health, 15 Apr. 2024
The time to act is now, before irreparable damage is done to America’s standing in the global economy and the integrity of the international trading system.
—Ed Brzytwa, Fortune, 15 Apr. 2024
The latest work is part of the park’s larger efforts to rebuild after significant flooding and storm damage.
—Alison Fox, Travel + Leisure, 15 Apr. 2024
Aside from this, any other possible damage in Israel from the attack so far is unclear.
—Peter Kenyon, NPR, 15 Apr. 2024
Iranian ballistic missiles that reached Israel fell on the airbase located in southern Israel, and caused only light structural damage, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson Daniel Hagari said.
—Rob Picheta, CNN, 14 Apr. 2024
Sammy Westfall, Washington Post, 16 Apr. 2024
Violations issued to Friends Masonry Construction included: ▪ Using and failing to immediately repair a scaffold that was damaged or weakened.
—Gavin Off, Charlotte Observer, 16 Apr. 2024
That’s a rate of 1.38 devices damaged per 100 carried, down from 1.41 per 100 in 2022.
—USA TODAY, 16 Apr. 2024
CalTrans officials are working to reopen just the northbound lane, which was not damaged during the initial slip-out, for alternating one-lane traffic.
—Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2024
Cramming the mattress into a car, SUV, or even a pickup truck can damage the mattress if bent.
—Caitlin Sole, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Apr. 2024
In 1982, after Israel invaded Lebanon, an Italian communist organization exploded a bomb outside the Israeli pavilion, damaging some of the artworks inside.
—Alex Marshall, New York Times, 16 Apr. 2024
When bears get into trash and pet or human food, that not only interrupts this natural process but can also damage the bear’s health, teeth and ability to remain wild.
—Hanh Truong, Sacramento Bee, 16 Apr. 2024
Flood victims who are seeking financial support after their homes and businesses were damaged during the major January storm may be eligible for a loan from the Small Business Administration — but time is running out to apply.
—Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Apr. 2024
Noun
Israel and allies intercepted around 99 percent of the projectiles, Israeli officials said, but the attack still caused damage to a military base and seriously injured a young girl in Israel.
—Sammy Westfall, Washington Post, 16 Apr. 2024
Chance Brannon, 24, pleaded guilty last November to all four counts of conspiracy, malicious destruction of property by fire and explosives, possession of an unregistered destructive device, and intentional damage to a reproductive health services facility, according to the Department of Justice.
—USA TODAY, 16 Apr. 2024
In other wildfire news, Pacific Gas & Electric is facing another lawsuit over the 2021 Dixie fire, this one from timber companies seeking $225 million in damages, my colleague Hannah Wiley reports.
—Sammy Roth, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2024
Dry, red, and irritated skin also can result from damage to nerves (diabetic neuropathy), particularly nerves in the legs and feet.
—Elizabeth Woolley, Verywell Health, 15 Apr. 2024
The time to act is now, before irreparable damage is done to America’s standing in the global economy and the integrity of the international trading system.
—Ed Brzytwa, Fortune, 15 Apr. 2024
The latest work is part of the park’s larger efforts to rebuild after significant flooding and storm damage.
—Alison Fox, Travel + Leisure, 15 Apr. 2024
Aside from this, any other possible damage in Israel from the attack so far is unclear.
—Peter Kenyon, NPR, 15 Apr. 2024
Iranian ballistic missiles that reached Israel fell on the airbase located in southern Israel, and caused only light structural damage, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson Daniel Hagari said.
—Rob Picheta, CNN, 14 Apr. 2024
Verb
In 2021, Iran blamed Israel for an electrical blackout that left some older centrifuges damaged.
—Sammy Westfall, Washington Post, 16 Apr. 2024
Violations issued to Friends Masonry Construction included: ▪ Using and failing to immediately repair a scaffold that was damaged or weakened.
—Gavin Off, Charlotte Observer, 16 Apr. 2024
That’s a rate of 1.38 devices damaged per 100 carried, down from 1.41 per 100 in 2022.
—USA TODAY, 16 Apr. 2024
CalTrans officials are working to reopen just the northbound lane, which was not damaged during the initial slip-out, for alternating one-lane traffic.
—Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2024
Cramming the mattress into a car, SUV, or even a pickup truck can damage the mattress if bent.
—Caitlin Sole, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Apr. 2024
In 1982, after Israel invaded Lebanon, an Italian communist organization exploded a bomb outside the Israeli pavilion, damaging some of the artworks inside.
—Alex Marshall, New York Times, 16 Apr. 2024
When bears get into trash and pet or human food, that not only interrupts this natural process but can also damage the bear’s health, teeth and ability to remain wild.
—Hanh Truong, Sacramento Bee, 16 Apr. 2024
Flood victims who are seeking financial support after their homes and businesses were damaged during the major January storm may be eligible for a loan from the Small Business Administration — but time is running out to apply.
—Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'damage.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near damage
Cite this Entry
“Damage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/damage. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
damage
1 of 2 noun
dam·age
ˈdam-ij 
1
: a loss or harm caused by injury to one's person or property
2
plural
: payment in money ordered by a court for loss or injury
collected damages for his broken arm in the accident claim
damage
2 of 2 verb
damaged; damaging
: to cause damage to
Legal Definition
damage
1 of 2 noun
dam·age
1
: loss or harm resulting from injury to person, property, or reputation
2
plural
: the money awarded to a party in a civil suit as reparation for the loss or injury for which another is liable see also additur, cover, mitigate, remittitur compare declaratory judgment at judgment sense 1a, injunction, specific performance at performance
Note: The trier of fact determines the amount of damages to be awarded to the prevailing party. More than one type of damages may be awarded for a single injury.
—
actual damages
: damages deemed to compensate the injured party for losses sustained as a direct result of the injury suffered
called also compensatory damages
—
consequential damages
: special damages in this entry
—
direct damages
: damages for a loss that is an immediate, natural, and foreseeable result of the wrongful act compare special damages in this entry
—
exemplary damages
\
ig-ˈzem-plə-rē-
\
: punitive damages in this entry
—
expectation damages
: damages recoverable for breach of contract and designed to put the injured party in the position he or she would have been in had the contract been completed
called also expectancy damages
—
general damages
: damages for a loss that is the natural, foreseeable, and logical result of a wrongful act compare special damages in this entry
: damages for losses (as pain and suffering, inconvenience, or loss of lifestyle) whose monetary values are difficult to assign
—
hedonic damages
\
hi-ˈdä-nik-
\
: damages deemed to compensate for the loss of enjoyment of life resulting from a wrongful act
Note: Hedonic damages are not recognized in all jurisdictions.
—
incidental damages
: damages recoverable under section 2-715 of the Uniform Commercial Code in breach of contract cases for losses that include expenses incurred in handling and caring for goods which were the subject of the contract, reasonable expenses incurred in obtaining cover, and any other reasonable expenses resulting from the breach that do not fall into any other category
—
liquidated damages
: damages whose amount is agreed upon by the parties to a contract as adequately compensating for loss in the event of a breach
called also stipulated damages
Note: Liquidated damages in an amount exceeding that needed to reasonably compensate the injured party constitute a penalty and are therefore void.
—
moratory damages
in the civil law of Louisiana
: damages recoverable for loss resulting from an obligor's delay in performing
Note: Compensatory damages are recoverable in a case of failure to perform.
—
nominal damages
: damages awarded in a small amount (as one dollar) in cases in which a party has been injured but no loss resulted from the injury or in which the injured party failed to prove that loss resulted from the injury
—
presumed damages
: damages that are presumed under the law to result naturally and necessarily from a tortious act and that therefore do not require proof
—
punitive damages
: damages awarded in cases of serious or malicious wrongdoing to punish or deter the wrongdoer or deter others from behaving similarly
called also exemplary damages, smart money
—
special damages
: damages awarded in an amount deemed to compensate for losses that arise not as a natural result of the injury but because of some particular circumstance of the injured party
specifically
: damages relating to a business, profession, or property that are easily calculable in monetary terms
called also consequential damages
compare direct damages in this entry general damages in this entryNote: Because special damages do not arise in every case, they must be specifically requested in the pleadings. This is an issue of particular importance in cases of harm to reputation, such as slander, libel, and malicious prosecution.
—
stipulated damages
in the civil law of Louisiana
: liquidated damages in this entry
—
treble damages
\
ˈtre-bəl-
\
: damages awarded in an amount that is three times the amount for which the trier of fact finds the wrongdoer liable
Note: Treble damages are recoverable where authorized by statute and are usually imposed as a punishment.
3
plural
: losses for which damages are recoverable
did not incur damages, because he was unlikely to win the foreclosure case—Rosalind Resnick
Rosalind Resnickdamage
2 of 2 adjective
: of or relating to damages
a damage action
a damage remedy
Etymology
Noun
Old French, from dam injury, harm, from Latin damnum financial loss, fine
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