damage

1 of 2

noun

dam·​age ˈda-mij 

1

: loss or harm resulting from injury to person, property, or reputation

flood damage

sustained severe damage to her knee

2

damages plural : compensation in money imposed by law for loss or injury

The judge awarded them $5,000 in damages.

3

: expense, cost

"What's the damage?" he asked the waiter

damage

2 of 2

verb

damaged; damaging

transitive verb

: to cause damage (see damage entry 1 sense 1) to

don't damage the furniture

returning soldiers damaged by war

damageability

ˌda-mi-jə-ˈbi-lə-tē 

noun

damager noun

Synonyms

Noun

• affliction
• detriment
• harm
• hurt
• injury

Verb

• blemish
• bloody
• break
• compromise
• crab
• cripple
• cross (up)
• deface
• disfigure
• endamage
• flaw
• harm
• hurt
• impair
• injure
• mar
• spoil
• vitiate

Choose the Right Synonym for damage

injure, harm, hurt, damage, impair, mar mean to affect injuriously.

injure implies the inflicting of anything detrimental to one's looks, comfort, health, or success.

badly injured in an accident

harm often stresses the inflicting of pain, suffering, or loss.

careful not to harm the animals

hurt implies inflicting a wound to the body or to the feelings.

hurt by their callous remarks

damage suggests injury that lowers value or impairs usefulness.

a table damaged in shipping

impair suggests a making less complete or efficient by deterioration or diminution.

years of smoking had impaired his health

mar applies to injury that spoils perfection (as of a surface) or causes disfigurement.

the text is marred by many typos

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

Noun

This luxury moisturizer is an icon known for its cold-cream texture and soothing formula infused with antioxidant-rich ingredients like sea kelp and lime tea to intensely moisturize and fight free radical damage. —Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 28 Apr. 2024

The monument has suffered damages due to vandalism and wear and tear, Robins said. —Hanh Truong, Sacramento Bee, 28 Apr. 2024

Photos on social media also showed heavy damage in the small town of Minden, Iowa, about 30 miles (48 kilometers) northeast of Omaha. Jeff Theulen, chief deputy of the Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s Office, said at a late Friday briefing that 40 to 50 homes had been completely destroyed. —Josh Funk, TIME, 27 Apr. 2024

Stronger tornadoes caused severe damage in Nebraska and Iowa Friday. —Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 27 Apr. 2024

The deal further stipulates that Earl must pay restitution to the owners of the four vehicles that sustained damage in the gunfire. —Sarah Nelson, The Indianapolis Star, 26 Apr. 2024

The star attractions are Goya’s etchings, displayed in a large, crepuscular room that protects these delicate artworks from light damage. —Simon Willis, Travel + Leisure, 25 Apr. 2024

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

Verb

In the Hollywood Commission’s surveys of over 13,000 entertainment workers, participants recognized the primary offenders are in powerful positions to influence who gets hired, who gets to keep a job, and can, and often do damage the reputations of those who complain. —Anita Hill, The Hollywood Reporter, 29 Apr. 2024

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that's triggered by gluten, which damages the small intestine. —Jenna Birch, Health, 28 Apr. 2024

More than 2,200 structures were damaged in the blaze, with 97 people declared dead, according to officials. —Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 27 Apr. 2024

Here's what to know about weekend freeway closures through Phoenix metro A Phoenix team had its wheelchairs damaged after a flight. —Laura Daniella Sepulveda, The Arizona Republic, 27 Apr. 2024

The fire also damaged a vacant restaurant that used to be Ruby’s Diner and a snack shop that housed the Brine Box, a seafood eatery. —Jireh Deng, Los Angeles Times, 27 Apr. 2024

The flood killed 25 people and damaged almost half of the 155 Plaza businesses. —Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 26 Apr. 2024

Jordan Pettitt / Press Association via APA damaged tour bus is towed away near Buckingham Palace after a Household Cavalry horse collided with its windshield in central London. —Alexander Smith, NBC News, 24 Apr. 2024

In 2021, Iran blamed Israel for an electrical blackout that left some older centrifuges damaged. —Sammy Westfall, Washington Post, 16 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from dan damage, from Latin damnum — see damn entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing damage

• collateral damage
• damage control
• property damage
• property damage insurance
• the damage
• What's the damage

Kids 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 entry

Note: 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

damage

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