damaging

adjective

dam·​ag·​ing ˈda-mi-jiŋ 

: causing or able to cause damage : injurious

has a damaging effect on wildlife

damagingly

ˈda-mi-jiŋ-lē 

adverb

Synonyms of damaging

• harmful
• detrimental
• dangerous
• adverse

Examples of damaging in a Sentence

the damaging effects of the sun on your skin

The storm may produce damaging winds.

He says he has damaging information about the candidate.

The evidence was very damaging to their case.

Recent Examples on the Web

The biggest threats are large hail and damaging winds, though a few tornadoes are also possible. —Kansas City Star, 19 Apr. 2026

The largest threats were from damaging winds. —Andrew Kozak, CBS News, 18 Apr. 2026

Sargassum is floating macroalgae that has inundated beaches in Florida and the Caribbean since 2011, damaging tourism, harming the health of humans and marine life and costing local governments millions of dollars a year to clean up. —Doyle Rice, USA Today, 18 Apr. 2026

Widespread damaging wind gusts and flooding rainfall are still to come as storms hit areas already battered by a multi-day onslaught of twisters, massive hail and historic flooding. —Briana Waxman, CNN Money, 17 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1828, in the meaning defined above