1
as in penalty
a sum of money to be paid as a punishment
ordered by the court to pay $1000 in damages
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in reparation
payment to another for a loss or injury
the company was forced to pay millions in damages to the permanently disabled worker
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in injures
to reduce the soundness, effectiveness, or perfection of
the explosion in the sewers damaged the entire city's water supply
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in wounds
to cause bodily damage to
his knee was badly damaged in the accident, and he walked with a limp for months
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 damages
Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 4 Feb. 2026
Instead, Congress had to pass a law to allow for state and local government officials, such as police officers, to be sued in federal court for money damages.
—Brian Kolp, Chicago Tribune, 4 Feb. 2026
And if Johnson goes to trial and the athletes win, the NCAA and member schools could be on the hook to pay billions of dollars in damages.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 4 Feb. 2026
The law allows private citizens to sue doctors to collect damages for pills sent after the law took effect and seek an injunction against anyone who intends to distribute such pills in Texas.
—Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 3 Feb. 2026
That’s based on the difference between natural gas prices before the storm and the fact that damages could be tripled in an antitrust case.
—Paul Monies, Oklahoma Watch, 3 Feb. 2026
Attorneys for Seabron's family are seeking compensation for economic losses, compensation for the family's pain and suffering, additional damages, and attorneys' fees.
—Austen Erblat, CBS News, 3 Feb. 2026
Court records indicate the case went to trial in 2017 and the jury found that while Page was negligent, that negligence was not the cause of damages suffered by Miller.
—Clark Kauffman, Des Moines Register, 28 Jan. 2026
The plaintiffs are seeking monetary damages as well as changes to the way social media apps are designed.
—Shannon Bond, NPR, 27 Jan. 2026
Sam Tabachnik, Denver Post, 5 Feb. 2026
To explore that possibility, researchers at University College London and Queen Square Analytics set out to look beyond symptoms and clinical labels and focus instead on the biological signals of how MS damages the brain.
—New Atlas, 4 Feb. 2026
Not seeing us at all — as parents, neighbors, teachers, leads, lovers, screw‑ups, dreamers — damages us.
—Gloria Calderon Kellett, Deadline, 29 Jan. 2026
Incarceration also damages young people’s future success in education and employment.
—Katie Mulvaney, The Providence Journal, 28 Jan. 2026
What damages a human being is sin.
—Literary Hub, 28 Jan. 2026
The progressive disease damages the protective cover around nerves called myelin in your central nervous system, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
—Virginia Chamlee, PEOPLE, 28 Jan. 2026
Frostbite damages skin and underlying tissue, and the condition can lead to permanent injury if not treated promptly.
—Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 26 Jan. 2026
If winter weather damages your house, leaning on your homeowners insurance will be critical.
—Liz Knueven, CNBC, 23 Jan. 2026
Noun
The civil action, which is seeking more than $15,000 in damages, remains pending in Hartford Superior Court.
—Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 4 Feb. 2026
Instead, Congress had to pass a law to allow for state and local government officials, such as police officers, to be sued in federal court for money damages.
—Brian Kolp, Chicago Tribune, 4 Feb. 2026
And if Johnson goes to trial and the athletes win, the NCAA and member schools could be on the hook to pay billions of dollars in damages.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 4 Feb. 2026
The law allows private citizens to sue doctors to collect damages for pills sent after the law took effect and seek an injunction against anyone who intends to distribute such pills in Texas.
—Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 3 Feb. 2026
That’s based on the difference between natural gas prices before the storm and the fact that damages could be tripled in an antitrust case.
—Paul Monies, Oklahoma Watch, 3 Feb. 2026
Attorneys for Seabron's family are seeking compensation for economic losses, compensation for the family's pain and suffering, additional damages, and attorneys' fees.
—Austen Erblat, CBS News, 3 Feb. 2026
Court records indicate the case went to trial in 2017 and the jury found that while Page was negligent, that negligence was not the cause of damages suffered by Miller.
—Clark Kauffman, Des Moines Register, 28 Jan. 2026
The plaintiffs are seeking monetary damages as well as changes to the way social media apps are designed.
—Shannon Bond, NPR, 27 Jan. 2026
Verb
The meatpacking giant also charges workers when someone takes or damages their personal protective equipment and insists on a three-year agreement, the union said.
—Sam Tabachnik, Denver Post, 5 Feb. 2026
To explore that possibility, researchers at University College London and Queen Square Analytics set out to look beyond symptoms and clinical labels and focus instead on the biological signals of how MS damages the brain.
—New Atlas, 4 Feb. 2026
Not seeing us at all — as parents, neighbors, teachers, leads, lovers, screw‑ups, dreamers — damages us.
—Gloria Calderon Kellett, Deadline, 29 Jan. 2026
Incarceration also damages young people’s future success in education and employment.
—Katie Mulvaney, The Providence Journal, 28 Jan. 2026
What damages a human being is sin.
—Literary Hub, 28 Jan. 2026
The progressive disease damages the protective cover around nerves called myelin in your central nervous system, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
—Virginia Chamlee, PEOPLE, 28 Jan. 2026
Frostbite damages skin and underlying tissue, and the condition can lead to permanent injury if not treated promptly.
—Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 26 Jan. 2026
If winter weather damages your house, leaning on your homeowners insurance will be critical.
—Liz Knueven, CNBC, 23 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for damages
Noun
-
The child may use the money without penalty to help pay for college or buy a first home.—
Jeanne Sahadi,
CNN Money,
9 Feb. 2026
-
That first penalty was decisive and controversial.—
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
None of the victims or their descendants received any direct reparations from the city or state.—
Caleb Gayle,
The Atlantic,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Program staff help with translation and annual reparations applications to the Claims Conference.—
Dana Toppel,
Oc Register,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Bystander videos, like the ones taken of Pretti, have played a key role for decades in informing the public when law enforcement kills or injures people.—
Ava Berger,
NPR,
28 Jan. 2026
-
California law already criminalizes unsafe gun storage in certain situations, including when a child accesses a firearm and injures or kills someone.—
Grant Stringer,
Mercury News,
29 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
What once killed campaigns now barely wounds them.—
Mandy Taheri,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
-
Even with all of them in place, Shirley misses the masked attacker sneaking his way up to the apartment door, and Lamb’s attempt to blind him with bleach creates a chaotic struggle that wounds the assailant without containing him.—
Scott Tobias,
Vulture,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
For a 10-surprise-course fine-dining experience, visit Quila.—
Juliet Kinsman,
Condé Nast Traveler,
9 Feb. 2026
-
The $50,000 fine is for a first offense, and that amount doubles after a school’s second.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Britain has also agreed to approximately £3 billion [$4 billion] in compensation over the life of the deal, with an option to extend the lease for an additional 50 years.—
Emma Bussey,
FOXNews.com,
6 Feb. 2026
-
The department also spent more than $17 million on support staff and administrative compensation.—
Matt Murschel,
The Orlando Sentinel,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The picture exudes both grace and vulnerability, and hints at imperfection by way of a disconcerting, coral-like wrinkle that mars the foot’s heel.—
Chris Wiley,
New Yorker,
20 Dec. 2025
-
Deadly holiday weekend mars broad crime drop The back-and-forth followed a Labor Day weekend of deadly violence in Chicago worse than in the previous two years, with seven people shot to death, according to preliminary Chicago Police Department reports.—
Andy Rose,
CNN Money,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Sure, flashing a championship ring on a recruiting trip never hurts.—
Thomas Jones,
Austin American Statesman,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Trade alternatives Multiple free agent options at first base surely hurts the trade market for Orioles first baseman Ryan Mountcastle and Rays first baseman Yandy Díaz (Mountcastle, in particular, seems to have very little role to play in Baltimore at this point).—
Chad Jennings,
New York Times,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Damages.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/damages. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
