Definition of damage
From the M-W Editors
Examples of damage in a Sentence
The items were carefully wrapped to protect them from damage during shipping.
The city sustained heavy damage during the war.
Fortunately the boat suffered no serious damage in the storm.
The fall caused considerable damage to her knee.
The disease is known to cause permanent brain damage.
The scandal caused significant damage to her career.
You've said enough. Please leave before you do any more damage.
He tried to repair the damage by apologizing, but it was too late.
He apologized, but the damage was already done.
Recent Examples of damage from the Web
-
A little damage to muscles is a good thing because that stimulates them to grow and adapt to stress.
-
Most of the other cases were small claims suits filed by vendors and students, valued at less than $5,000 in damages.
-
Saif Mohammed recently re-opened his sandwich shop on a main avenue in the west, repairing war damage with the help of a $5,000 loan from relatives.
-
Steve Schindlbeck confirmed most of the damage was in the 4300 block of Camelot Circle, where 10 mailboxes were found mangled or destroyed.
-
Third baseman Trevor Craport did most of the damage for Aberdeen, going 3-for-4 with a home run, double and six RBIs.
-
State police were unable to determine what ignited the gas because of the catastrophic damage to the home and multiple potential ignition sources.
-
That’s cosmetic damage, but their offspring are in the ground eating roots and they should be controlled.
-
True, the story says that many of these people will sign back up again when the Kobach threat is over, but that doesn't mitigate the damage.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'damage.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of damage
Middle English, from Anglo-French, from dan damage, from Latin damnum —see 1damn
damage
Definition of damage
damaged
;damaging
transitive verb
: to cause damage (see 1damage 1) to don't damage the furniture returning soldiers damaged by war
damager
nounExamples of damage in a Sentence
Please return any items that are damaged during shipping.
Many homes were damaged or completely destroyed in the fire.
The fall severely damaged her knee.
Smoking can seriously damage your lungs.
The scandal significantly damaged her career.
This news will undoubtedly damage the governor's reputation.
He was worried that his comments had seriously damaged their relationship.
He's trying to repair his damaged reputation.
Recent Examples of damage from the Web
-
This can be incredibly burdensome and risks damaging the already fragile texts.
-
And when that gets damaged, often anger — and honesty — are the result. Don’t be surprised if this pattern continues two weeks from now in Iowa.
-
Restrictions on American travel will damage hotel and restaurant businesses, shops, and deprive taxi drivers, waiters, hotel janitors and maids, bartenders, guides and others linked to tourism their only means of having independent income.
-
A man swam naked in the Trevi fountain this spring, and Dutch soccer fans damaged the Barcaccia fountain and left broken beer bottles in the water.
-
Though Hamilton's parents, Debbie and Steve, were unscathed, their home was also badly damaged.
-
The two bugs are extremely small and hard to detect but can damage an entire tree.
-
Pat your hair dry Wet hair is super fragile, so twisting it up into a towel after stepping out of the shower can break strands and damage your 'do.
-
According to the criminal complaint: The woman called police to report an intruder inside her home who had damaged a door frame and kicked in the door to gain entry.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'damage.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of damage
see 1damage
Synonym Discussion of damage
DAMAGE Defined for English Language Learners
damage
playDefinition of damage for English Language Learners
-
: physical harm that is done to something or to someone's body
-
: emotional harm that is done to someone
-
: problems that are caused by a mistake, wrong action, etc. : bad or harmful effects on a situation, a person's reputation, etc.
damage
Definition of damage for English Language Learners
-
: to physically harm (something)
-
: to cause problems in or for (something) : to have a bad effect on (a situation, a person's reputation, etc.)
DAMAGE Defined for Kids
Definition of damage for Students
1 : loss or harm caused by injury to a person's body or property How much damage was done to the car?
2 damages plural : money demanded or paid according to law for injury or damage The jury awarded $50,000 in damages.
Definition of damage for Students
damaged
;damaging
: to cause harm or loss to
Law Dictionary
damage
Legal Definition of damage
1 : loss or harm resulting from injury to person, property, or reputation
2 pl : the money awarded to a party in a civil suit as reparation for the loss or injury for which another is liable — see also additur, cover, mitigate, remittitur — compare declaratory judgment at judgment 1a, injunction, specific performance at performance Editor's note: The trier of fact determines the amount of damages to be awarded to the prevailing party. More than one type of damages may be awarded for a single injury. actual damages : damages deemed to compensate the injured party for losses sustained as a direct result of the injury suffered —called also compensatory damages consequential damages : special damages in this entry direct damages : damages for a loss that is an immediate, natural, and foreseeable result of the wrongful act — compare special damages in this entry exemplary damages \ig-ˈzem-plə-rē-\ : punitive damages in this entry expectation damages : damages recoverable for breach of contract and designed to put the injured party in the position he or she would have been in had the contract been completed —called also expectancy damages general damages 1 : damages for a loss that is the natural, foreseeable, and logical result of a wrongful act — compare special damages in this entry 2 : damages for losses (as pain and suffering, inconvenience, or loss of lifestyle) whose monetary values are difficult to assign hedonic damages \hi-ˈdä-nik-\ : damages deemed to compensate for the loss of enjoyment of life resulting from a wrongful act Editor's note: Hedonic damages are not recognized in all jurisdictions. incidental damages : damages recoverable under section 2-715 of the Uniform Commercial Code in breach of contract cases for losses that include expenses incurred in handling and caring for goods which were the subject of the contract, reasonable expenses incurred in obtaining cover, and any other reasonable expenses resulting from the breach that do not fall into any other category liquidated damages : damages whose amount is agreed upon by the parties to a contract as adequately compensating for loss in the event of a breach —called also stipulated damages Editor's note: Liquidated damages in an amount exceeding that needed to reasonably compensate the injured party constitute a penalty and are therefore void. moratory damages in the civil law of Louisiana : damages recoverable for loss resulting from an obligor's delay in performing Editor's note: Compensatory damages are recoverable in a case of failure to perform. nominal damages : damages awarded in a small amount (as one dollar) in cases in which a party has been injured but no loss resulted from the injury or in which the injured party failed to prove that loss resulted from the injury presumed damages : damages that are presumed under the law to result naturally and necessarily from a tortious act and that therefore do not require proof punitive damages : damages awarded in cases of serious or malicious wrongdoing to punish or deter the wrongdoer or deter others from behaving similarly —called also exemplary damages, smart money special damages : damages awarded in an amount deemed to compensate for losses that arise not as a natural result of the injury but because of some particular circumstance of the injured party; specifically : damages relating to a business, profession, or property that are easily calculable in monetary terms —called also consequential damages — compare direct damages in this entry — general damages in this entry Editor's note: Because special damages do not arise in every case, they must be specifically requested in the pleadings. This is an issue of particular importance in cases of harm to reputation, such as slander, libel, and malicious prosecution. stipulated damages in the civil law of Louisiana : liquidated damages in this entry treble damages \ˈtre-bəl-\ : damages awarded in an amount that is three times the amount for which the trier of fact finds the wrongdoer liable Editor's note: Treble damages are recoverable where authorized by statute and are usually imposed as a punishment.
3 pl : losses for which damages are recoverable did not incur damages, because he was unlikely to win the foreclosure case — Rosalind Resnick
Origin and Etymology of damage
Old French, from dam injury, harm, from Latin damnum financial loss, fine
damage
Legal Definition of damage
: of or relating to damages a damage action a damage remedy
Learn More about damage
-
Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for damage Spanish Central: Translation of damage Nglish: Translation of damage for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of damage for Arabic speakers
Seen and Heard
What made you want to look up damage? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Writing? Check your grammar now!