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
After years of resentment and collateral damage, Cassie and Lexi finally make peace and get the hell out of Dodge—each pursuing her own artistic ambitions, but no longer trapped by the same family dysfunction and exploitative professional settings.
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Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 29 May 2026
This approach reduces the risk of accidents or collateral damage if the autonomous flight system malfunctions.
—Vikram Mittal, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026
Flair and Bliss have been collateral damage and have been forced to make nice with Ripley ahead of their six-woman tag team match at Saturday Night’s Main Event.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 23 May 2026
Just as the novel sought to reveal how Britain abandoned veterans, this dreamy and compelling interpretation gestures at the collateral damage of Nigeria’s military.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 22 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for collateral damage
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Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 29 May 2026
This approach reduces the risk of accidents or collateral damage if the autonomous flight system malfunctions.
—Vikram Mittal, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026
Flair and Bliss have been collateral damage and have been forced to make nice with Ripley ahead of their six-woman tag team match at Saturday Night’s Main Event.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 23 May 2026
Just as the novel sought to reveal how Britain abandoned veterans, this dreamy and compelling interpretation gestures at the collateral damage of Nigeria’s military.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 22 May 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 4 Jun. 2026.
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