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 After years of resentment and collateral damage, Cassie and Lexi finally make peace and get the hell out of Dodge—each pursuing her own artistic ambitions, but no longer trapped by the same family dysfunction and exploitative professional settings. Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 29 May 2026 This approach reduces the risk of accidents or collateral damage if the autonomous flight system malfunctions. Vikram Mittal, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026 Flair and Bliss have been collateral damage and have been forced to make nice with Ripley ahead of their six-woman tag team match at Saturday Night’s Main Event. Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 23 May 2026 Just as the novel sought to reveal how Britain abandoned veterans, this dreamy and compelling interpretation gestures at the collateral damage of Nigeria’s military. David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 22 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for collateral damage
Recent Examples of Synonyms for collateral damage
Noun
  • No fatalities had been reported as of late Saturday, police said, and no suspects were in custody.
    Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 7 June 2026
  • The spate of three fatalities is extraordinary in a nation that has averaged around three shark deaths a year in recent decades.
    ABC News, ABC News, 6 June 2026
Noun
  • Data shows 41% of single women buyers made financial sacrifices to save enough to buy a house, including cutting back on non-essential goods, entertainment and even taking on second jobs.
    Kathy Collins, Fortune, 6 June 2026
  • By Sebastian Smee The meanings of words such as honor, sacrifice, and humility have been leaking away from American civic life like red blood cells from an anemic.
    Boris Kachka, The Atlantic, 5 June 2026
Noun
  • Midland Memorial Hospital received nine of the victims connected to the active shooter incident.
    Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 13 June 2026
  • The pope also met abuse survivors privately and urged Spain’s bishops to listen to victims and make reparations.
    Christopher Lamb, CNN Money, 13 June 2026
Noun
  • According to the information in the Vịnh Mốc museum, there were no casualties underground during all the years of bombing.
    Pavlo Fedykovych, CNN Money, 12 June 2026
  • During a September 2025 exercise, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency held a triage challenge to test the abilities of drones to cooperate with humans in responding to casualties.
    Zita Ballinger Fletcher, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026
Noun
  • If the snake population continues to decline, this could have harmful effects on the ecosystem, as snakes are both intermediate and apex predators, serving as both predator and prey.
    Carson Bonner, AJC.com, 9 June 2026
  • Tens of thousands drowned, while others were raped, robbed, and murdered by pirates, finding vulnerable prey.
    Elizabeth Holtzman, Time, 9 June 2026
Noun
  • The Angels scored only five runs in their first five losses to the Dodgers, and Rivero – a 27-year-old journeyman backup catcher – drove in six all by himself on Sunday.
    Jeff Fletcher, Oc Register, 8 June 2026
  • If dangerous logistics and supply runs can be achieved using cheap autonomous electric vehicles, the costs of losses become more acceptable.
    Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 7 June 2026
Noun
  • But the bans only enhanced his fame, with conservative pundits hailing him as a free-speech martyr.
    Heidi Blake, New Yorker, 8 June 2026
  • His crusade ended in gunfire at a Day of the Dead festival, turning Manzo into a martyr figure and symbol against corruption.
    Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Collateral damage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/collateral%20damage. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster