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 Too often a car crash involves collateral damage to other vehicles or bystanders. — Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 28 July 2026 The collateral damage of Catherine’s quest can be devastating. — Judy Berman, Time, 27 July 2026 Contemporary efforts at pest control have also caused unanticipated collateral damage. — Elan Abrell, The Conversation, 22 July 2026 The city's population has grown, meaning there are more people at risk from collateral damage. — Andrei Popoviciu, The Dial, 21 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for collateral damage

Recent Examples of Synonyms for collateral damage

Noun

The boy’s death, a second diabetic fatality and ongoing criminal and legislative probes expose gaps in medical training, oversight and Arizona’s deep dependence on large private child-care contractors.

— Jacques Billeaud, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2026
In June, a New York Times investigation documented the way their taller hoods and larger blind zones contributed to rising fatalities.

— Paula Span, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of fatality

Noun

But the biggest sacrifice, one that is never fully restored unlike Pericles’ grievous losses, is the emotional weight of the play’s climax.

— Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2026
Brusuelas, the chief economist at RSM US, stressed that Trump would likely need to make sacrifices to meaningfully address the debt and reassure financial markets.

— Josh Boak, Fortune, 5 Sep. 2026

Definition of sacrifice

Noun

The brothers previously faced rape and human trafficking charges in Britain in connection to three alleged victims, CPS said.

— Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2026
The special, produced in collaboration with the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, will honor the victims killed, and commemorate the resilience of the survivors, families, first responders, and communities whose lives were forever altered by the attacks.

— Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 9 Sep. 2026

Definition of victim

Noun

Western intelligence services estimate Russia is losing some 40,000 troops a month – a rate of roughly 340 casualties for every square kilometer.

— Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2026
As investors divvy up which companies win or lose in the age of artificial intelligence, it's begun to look like the crowd sees online travel company Booking Holdings as a casualty.

— Isabella Gao, CNBC, 9 Sep. 2026

Definition of casualty

Noun

As its common name suggests, the giant huntsman spider actively hunts its prey, and its diet includes insects as well as small rodents and reptiles.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 Sep. 2026
Rattlesnakes fill an important niche in the area’s ecosystem by targeting prey that other predators cannot access.

— Haley Parsley, Sacbee.com, 5 Sep. 2026

Definition of prey

Noun

Across a run of six defeats in seven matches, which left his tenure hanging by a thread, the Forest and Brighton losses were the worst.

— Beren Cross, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
Rice lipids and jojoba oil seal in moisture and replenish the skin barrier, while 2% ectoin soothes redness and protects against water loss.

— Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of loss

Noun

In a normal rom-com, this is where Jack would exit stage left as the martyr who nudged Wendy toward her true soulmate.

— Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 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

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“Collateral damage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/collateral%20damage. Accessed 12 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of collateral damage

noun

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