damages
Britishplural noun
Explanation
Damages are the official amount of money awarded to the winner in a law suit. If you're hurt in a car accident that's another driver's fault, you may end up collecting damages. The legal term damages usually refers to money that's owed or received to compensate someone for a loss or an injury. If a business owner's negligence — not clearing ice from a sidewalk, for example — causes you to be injured, you can sue her for damages to pay for your broken arm and the days of work you had to miss. Sometimes a court awards "punitive damages" as well, which are specifically intended to punish the defendant.
Vocabulary lists containing damages
The Skin I'm In
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Hitler Youth
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City of the Plague God
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Former Coronation Street actor Qasim Akhtar is to receive "substantial" damages from the Sun's publisher, to settle a High Court libel claim.
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026
The school district had sought $60m in damages.
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026
A state court judge there is weighing further damages against the company that could mean it’s forced to potentially pay more and change the way it operates.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
Despite the billions of dollars in damages caused by the Eaton fire, Edison’s profits soared last year by more than 200% — from $1.3 billion in 2024 to $4.5 billion.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026
Orson Welles, the Mercury, and CBS faced thousands of dollars worth of lawsuits for personal injury, mental anguish, and damages.
From "Spooked!" by Gail Jarrow
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
