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 vice president and other officials have downplayed evidence of collateral damage in their crackdown on fraudulent hospices.
—
Isaac Arnsdorf, Washington Post, 15 June 2026
Uncertainty across the region The news of peace came with a sense of bewilderment and uncertainty in a region that suffered collateral damage through months of war.
—Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 15 June 2026
No member of our community or public servant, regardless of political party, should have to wonder whether calls for violence against them will be treated as acceptable collateral damage in our political discourse.
—Naperville Sun, Chicago Tribune, 5 June 2026
The systems locked in battle and the family—with no one to defend them—were collateral damage.
—Darshak Sanghavi, STAT, 3 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for collateral damage
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Isaac Arnsdorf, Washington Post, 15 June 2026
Uncertainty across the region The news of peace came with a sense of bewilderment and uncertainty in a region that suffered collateral damage through months of war.
—Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 15 June 2026
No member of our community or public servant, regardless of political party, should have to wonder whether calls for violence against them will be treated as acceptable collateral damage in our political discourse.
—Naperville Sun, Chicago Tribune, 5 June 2026
The systems locked in battle and the family—with no one to defend them—were collateral damage.
—Darshak Sanghavi, STAT, 3 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 16 Jun. 2026.
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