collateral damage

Definition of collateral damagenext

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of collateral damage Strategic promise and unresolved risks Pathak has repeatedly emphasized that humanoid robots could reduce reliance on airstrikes or heavy weapons by enabling precise, ground-level interventions, potentially lowering collateral damage. Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 17 Dec. 2025 The rot that ensues — of minds, culture and institutions — is but collateral damage. Michael Moyer, Quanta Magazine, 16 Dec. 2025 There may, of course, be other reasons not to deploy these tools—such as the risk of collateral damage to diplomatic allies—but Trump has not been sensitive to such concerns in other policy areas. Edward Fishman, Time, 21 Nov. 2025 The death of civilians is often collateral damage. NPR, 8 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for collateral damage
Recent Examples of Synonyms for collateral damage
Noun
  • The last time annual officer fatalities were at a comparable level was in 1943, when 94 officers were killed in the line of duty.
    Center Square, The Washington Examiner, 7 Jan. 2026
  • At the time, 21 cases of amatoxin poisoning linked to certain types of wild mushrooms were identified that led to severe liver damage in kids and adults, with one reported fatality.
    David Chiu, PEOPLE, 6 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • But what's really cool is how the movie brings those story lines together in a narrative filled with intriguing twists, gnarly kills, heroic sacrifices and a slew of nifty new Predator designs.
    Brian Truitt, USA Today, 9 Nov. 2025
  • Swapping the pie crust for these biscuits is a small sacrifice—if it could even be called that.
    Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 9 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • Police said evidence suggested Salat was aware of the victim’s age and attempted to meet with the child in person.
    Rose Evans, Idaho Statesman, 7 Jan. 2026
  • But the jury in the federal civil lawsuit found that Moore violated Gillispie's rights by hiding evidence that would have helped Gillispie's defense and creating unfair lineup procedures for the victims.
    Laura A. Bischoff, Cincinnati Enquirer, 7 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • The premiere picked up 10 months after the events of Season 1, during which a mass casualty event unfolded in the final episodes.
    Alli Rosenbloom, CNN Money, 9 Jan. 2026
  • The hypersonic Oreshnik intermediate range ballistic missile hit Ukraine’s western Lviv region late Thursday night, although officials there did not mention any casualties.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 9 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • British explorer Colonel Percy Fawcett, who wandered the Amazon for 22 years at the beginning of the 20th century before vanishing without a trace, wrote that the breath of the anaconda stupefied its prey.
    Stanley Stewart, Travel + Leisure, 10 Jan. 2026
  • Bring in your bird feeders overnight to avoid attracting coyote prey.
    Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 9 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • But those guards fell crashing down on Wednesday night in a brutally honest assessment of his team following Boise State’s (9-6, 1-3 Mountain West) 75-58 home loss to Grand Canyon (9-5, 2-1) at ExtraMile Arena.
    Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 8 Jan. 2026
  • Despite the losses, Damon traveled to Texas and won the national title, dedicating the victory to his family and supporters.
    Nina Burns, CBS News, 8 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • What to Know Maloyan was an Armenian bishop and martyr who was killed during the Ottoman genocide in 1915.
    Jenni Fink, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2025
  • Some religious leaders are calling him a martyr, as his faith drove his politics.
    Taylor Seely, AZCentral.com, 22 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Collateral damage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/collateral%20damage. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.

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