damaged goods
plural noun
: a person considered to be flawed or spoiled in character, efficiency, or worth
When … I tell him that I've just been sacked, he doesn't emote or treat me like damaged goods.—
Pamela Druckerman
Pamela DruckermanExamples of damaged goods in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Miami got Daniels for a bargain because he was damaged goods coming off an Achilles tear.
—Omar Kelly
august 27, Miami Herald, 27 Aug. 2025
Lost or damaged goods and inaccurate records also play a part.
—Jennifer Williams-Alvarez, WSJ, 9 Jan. 2024
Story was damaged goods when the Red Sox signed him last March.
—Peter Abraham, BostonGlobe.com, 14 Jan. 2023
But the Conservatives have to decide if Truss is permanently damaged goods in the eyes of the voters.
—Peter Weber, The Week, 17 Oct. 2022
One was due to shifting priorities that made an allegedly medicore streaming flick damaged goods from a prior regime.
—Scott Mendelson, Forbes, 12 Aug. 2022
The hot candidate one offseason can be damaged goods the next if he’s passed over for too many jobs.
—Dallas News, 27 Jan. 2022
The son who cringingly rapped at an event celebrating his dad’s half-century reign at Waystar Royco was always damaged goods.
—Los Angeles Times, 2 Dec. 2021
He was damaged goods—parents dead, schooled abroad too long, cut off from the oxygen of living in this place.
—Daniyal Mueenuddin, The New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2021
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Omar Kelly
august 27, Miami Herald, 27 Aug. 2025
Lost or damaged goods and inaccurate records also play a part.
—Jennifer Williams-Alvarez, WSJ, 9 Jan. 2024
Story was damaged goods when the Red Sox signed him last March.
—Peter Abraham, BostonGlobe.com, 14 Jan. 2023
But the Conservatives have to decide if Truss is permanently damaged goods in the eyes of the voters.
—Peter Weber, The Week, 17 Oct. 2022
One was due to shifting priorities that made an allegedly medicore streaming flick damaged goods from a prior regime.
—Scott Mendelson, Forbes, 12 Aug. 2022
The hot candidate one offseason can be damaged goods the next if he’s passed over for too many jobs.
—Dallas News, 27 Jan. 2022
The son who cringingly rapped at an event celebrating his dad’s half-century reign at Waystar Royco was always damaged goods.
—Los Angeles Times, 2 Dec. 2021
He was damaged goods—parents dead, schooled abroad too long, cut off from the oxygen of living in this place.
—Daniyal Mueenuddin, The New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2021
Cite this Entry
“Damaged goods.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/damaged%20goods. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.
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