damage
Americannoun
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injury or harm that reduces value or usefulness.
The storm did considerable damage to the crops.
- Synonyms:
- loss
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Law. damages, the estimated money equivalent for detriment or injury sustained.
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Informal. Often damages. cost; expense; charge.
What are the damages for the lubrication job on my car?
verb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
noun
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injury or harm impairing the function or condition of a person or thing
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loss of something desirable
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informal cost; expense (esp in the phrase what's the damage? )
verb
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(tr) to cause damage to
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(intr) to suffer damage
Related Words
Damage, detriment, harm, mischief refer to injuries of various kinds. Damage is the kind of injury or the effect of injury that directly impairs appearance, value, usefulness, soundness, etc.: Fire causes damage to property. Detriment is a falling off from an original condition as the result of damage, depreciation, devaluation, etc.: Overeating is a detriment to health. Harm may denote either physical hurt or mental, moral, or spiritual injury: bodily harm; harm to one's self-confidence. Mischief may be damage, harm, trouble, or misfortune caused by a person, especially if maliciously: an enemy who would do one mischief.
Other Word Forms
- damageability noun
- damageable adjective
- damageableness noun
- damager noun
- damaging adjective
- damagingly adverb
- nondamageable adjective
- predamage noun
- quasi-damaged adjective
- redamage verb (used with object)
- undamageable adjective
- undamaged adjective
Etymology
Origin of damage
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English, from Old French, equivalent to dam (from Latin damnum “damage, fine”) + -age -age; damn
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.
Sparta warned that the timeline would extend further if Gulf infrastructure damage requires significant repair to facilities, including refineries, pipelines and terminals.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 2, 2026
It blamed a "technical failure" and reported no external damage to the aircraft, implying that missiles, drones or birds are not suspected of causing the crash.
From BBC • Apr. 1, 2026
Unlike invasive termites that damage structures in parts of the southeastern United States, this species is limited to its native rainforest habitat and does not spread beyond it.
From Science Daily • Apr. 1, 2026
A tanker was also hit in the waters off Qatar, a British maritime security agency said, reporting some damage but no casualties.
From Barron's • Apr. 1, 2026
While Love and Rayleigh waves roil Earth’s surface and secondary waves shake solid rock deep within the planet, primary waves travel through Earth’s mantle and core, causing little damage on the surface.
From "Meltdown" by Deirdre Langeland
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.
