collateral damage
noun
: injury inflicted on something other than an intended target
specifically
: civilian casualties of a military operation
Examples of collateral damage in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
All of that increases the likelihood for collateral damage.
—
Doug Turnbull,
AJC.com,
28 June 2026
Unfortunately, there’s always collateral damage from these abuse cases.
—
Denise Crosby,
Chicago Tribune,
28 June 2026
Whatever the real motive, foreign customers—including many of Europe’s Fortune 500—became collateral damage in a dispute between the administration and one of America’s leading AI developers.
—
Sam Birchall,
Fortune,
23 June 2026
Herbicide Damage Yellowing leaves can also occur as collateral damage from nearby weed killer applications.
—
Andy Wilcox,
Better Homes & Gardens,
21 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for collateral damage
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Doug Turnbull,
AJC.com,
28 June 2026
Unfortunately, there’s always collateral damage from these abuse cases.
—
Denise Crosby,
Chicago Tribune,
28 June 2026
Whatever the real motive, foreign customers—including many of Europe’s Fortune 500—became collateral damage in a dispute between the administration and one of America’s leading AI developers.
—
Sam Birchall,
Fortune,
23 June 2026
Herbicide Damage Yellowing leaves can also occur as collateral damage from nearby weed killer applications.
—
Andy Wilcox,
Better Homes & Gardens,
21 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for collateral damage
Cite this Entry
“Collateral damage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/collateral%20damage. Accessed 2 Jul. 2026.
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