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

Contemporary efforts at pest control have also caused unanticipated collateral damage. — Elan Abrell, The Conversation, 22 July 2026

The city's population has grown, meaning there are more people at risk from collateral damage. — Andrei Popoviciu, The Dial, 21 July 2026

Lockheed Martin revealed that the new X-rotor also benefits from the same family of high-power microwave effectors that have already proved the ability to defeat difficult targets while minimizing collateral damage. — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 20 July 2026

Because stepping into the upcoming fall season with confidence shouldn’t make collateral damage out of your checking account. — Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 17 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1947, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for collateral damage

• ramage
• samaj