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
The war has also heightened danger in shipping oil and brought collateral damage to oil-industry infrastructure, among other factors.
—
Julia Gomez, USA Today, 30 Apr. 2026
But wonders if she should now be counted on some kind of collateral damage list.
—Rob Crilly, The Washington Examiner, 22 Apr. 2026
Furthermore, misplaced or overzealous inflammation causes collateral damage to healthy tissues, potentially leading to chronic dysfunction.
—Phil Starks, The Conversation, 21 Apr. 2026
Its precision reduces collateral damage compared to older artillery systems.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 13 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for collateral damage
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Julia Gomez, USA Today, 30 Apr. 2026
But wonders if she should now be counted on some kind of collateral damage list.
—Rob Crilly, The Washington Examiner, 22 Apr. 2026
Furthermore, misplaced or overzealous inflammation causes collateral damage to healthy tissues, potentially leading to chronic dysfunction.
—Phil Starks, The Conversation, 21 Apr. 2026
Its precision reduces collateral damage compared to older artillery systems.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 13 Apr. 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 5 May. 2026.
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