COLLATERAL DAMAGE Synonyms: 18 Similar and Opposite Words

collateral damage

noun

Definition of collateral damage

as in fatality

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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 Chaotic bodycam footage from some of the incidents shows the collateral damage when bystanders are caught in the crossfire. — Laura Geller, CBS News, 13 July 2026 The closest planetary neighbors—Mercury, Venus, and possibly even Earth—will be destroyed in the resultant collateral damage. — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 1 July 2026 All of that increases the likelihood for collateral damage. — Doug Turnbull, AJC.com, 28 June 2026 Unfortunately, there’s always collateral damage from these abuse cases. — Denise Crosby, Chicago Tribune, 28 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for collateral damage

Recent Examples of Synonyms for collateral damage

Noun

The Kremlin pivots to a story that blames the fatalities on marmots, which can carry the plague.

— Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 25 July 2026
No injuries, fatalities or damage to structures have been reported.

— Corey Schmidt, Sacbee.com, 25 July 2026

Definition of fatality

Noun

But to do so while staying mentally sharp, emotionally present, physically capable, and truly able to enjoy the rewards of their efforts and sacrifices.

— Julian Hayes II, Forbes.com, 25 July 2026
Such payments did not require too much sacrifice—just a 1 percent tax on the first $3,000 of a person’s earnings, matched by their employer—because there were many times more workers than there were beneficiaries.

— Marc Novicoff, The Atlantic, 24 July 2026

Definition of sacrifice

Noun

Jones said Velasquez and the victim were close friends and lived just a few miles apart.

— Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 July 2026
Patel arrived in Jakarta shortly after talks with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet concerning joint efforts to combat international online scam operations that cheat victims out of billions of dollars annually.

— ABC News, ABC News, 23 July 2026

Definition of victim

Noun

If outmoded office buildings end up becoming once again viable as office buildings, Berman’s thesis could end up becoming a casualty of its own transformational success.

— Andrew Rice, Curbed, 23 July 2026
That was part of his wider goal of sending endless waves of bomb-carrying drones and robots to hit Russian encampments in a bid to sharply reduce Ukraine’s casualties.

— Kevin Holden Platt, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026

Definition of casualty

Noun

Coming off a 4-0 loss to Orlando City on Wednesday to restart their MLS season after a two-month World Cup break, the Quakes dominated possession and outshot the Galaxy 19-9.

— Harold Gutmann, Mercury News, 26 July 2026
After Saturday’s 7-2 loss to the San Diego Padres, the Marlins tied a franchise record with 11 straight losses.

— Tyler M. Carmona, Miami Herald, 26 July 2026

Definition of loss

Noun

The story contrasts past, more restrained immigration enforcement with today’s shootings, urging that Salgado Araujo be remembered as a modern-day martyr of the American dream and immigrants’ increasingly precarious lives.

— Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 14 July 2026
In between Amos’s lines, In Times of Dragons is a saga of survival introducing different muses along the way, from a real-life ancestor, a martyr who fell in love with Jesus, and a group of rugged women.

— Tina Eves, SPIN, 13 July 2026

Definition of martyr

Browse Nearby Words

collateral

collateral damage

collateral damages

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Collateral damage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/collateral%20damage. Accessed 29 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of collateral damage

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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