DAMAGING Synonyms: 207 Similar and Opposite Words

damaging 1 of 2

adjective

ˈda-mi-jiŋ

Definition of damaging

as in harmful

causing or capable of causing harm the damaging effects of the sun on unprotected skin

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

damaging

2 of 2

verb

present participle of damage

as in injuring

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

as in wounding

to cause bodily damage to his knee was badly damaged in the accident, and he walked with a limp for months

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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 damaging

Adjective

Because these claims can be so damaging to a business’s reputation, legal defense fees and settlement costs can become very expensive. — Kaitlyn Gomez, Miami Herald, 22 Oct. 2026 On Wednesday night, northern and central parts of the state saw hail the size of golf balls that pummeled people’s roofs, shattered windows and dented cars, along with damaging wind gusts. — Wufei Yu, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026

Verb

Starkes, accused of leaving a canary in a birdcage outside in 50-degree weather and breaking a window at a nearby funeral home, is also charged with animal cruelty and criminally damaging property, police said. — Dennis Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 28 Oct. 2026 It’s also sparked criticism, with some worried that strangers are capitalizing on gravesites without notifying descendants and risking damaging the sites. — Kimberlee Kruesi, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for damaging

Recent Examples of Synonyms for damaging

Adjective

And users can report inaccurate, toxic or harmful content by clicking the thumbs down icon shown at the bottom of the response.

— Robin Brewer, The Conversation, 26 Oct. 2026
Mark Zuckerberg spent years overriding the warnings and requests of his own investors to reduce or eliminate the harmful and addictive content leading to immense public harm.

— Andrew Behar, Fortune, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of harmful

Verb

During a livestreamed service at a Raytown church Sunday, a truck rammed through the front doors, seriously injuring a member of the congregation.

— Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 26 Oct. 2026
At 12,600 feet elevation, the climber fell through a snow bridge, severely injuring his leg.

— Tim Fang, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of injuring

Verb

Officials said apartment buildings and industrial infrastructure in three regions were targeted, wounding eight people.

— Hanna Arhirova, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2026
Officials said that apartment buildings and industrial infrastructure in three regions were targeted, wounding eight people.

— ABC News, ABC News, 28 Oct. 2026

Definition of wounding

Adjective

The company still faces numerous personal injury claims and a separate federal case involving a group of nationwide school districts that also focus on allegations that apps like Instagram have had detrimental effects on the well being of children.

— Jonathan Vanian, CNBC, 21 Oct. 2026
Often, those firms’ IT heads think those changes are detrimental.

— Scharon Harding, ArsTechnica, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of detrimental

Verb

The Trib is withholding Nick’s full name to avoid marring his reputation in the eyes of future employers or others who might run a search on him.

— Kate Payne, Miami Herald, 30 Sep. 2026
The latter track takes overt inspiration from Sofia Coppola’s 2006 film Marie Antoinette, as Jepsen beckons her love to engage in life’s vices with her, like marring bedsheets with fruit stains and dashing nude through the garden.

— Jaeden Pinder, Rolling Stone, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of marring

Adjective

People talking to an AI in an abusive and cruel way are more likely to be associated with trying to get the AI model to engage in dangerous requests, like trying to get around an AI’s safety guardrails, Campbell added.

— Hadas Gold, CNN Money, 1 Nov. 2026
Hazing involves requiring new or potential recruits to the military or college fraternities to perform strenuous, humiliating or dangerous tasks.

— Natasha Holt, FOXNews.com, 1 Nov. 2026

Definition of dangerous

Verb

Organizations must develop leaders who can recognize their emotional triggers, demonstrate empathy without compromising accountability, manage difficult conversations maturely and adapt their leadership style to different people and situations.

— Dr. Manish Pratap Singh Chandel, Forbes.com, 30 Oct. 2026
Sarah Polley brought Miriam Toews’s heartbreaking novel to the big screen with great care and without compromising its complexity.

— Radhika Seth, Vogue, 29 Oct. 2026

Definition of compromising

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damages

damaging

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Style

“Damaging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/damaging. Accessed 2 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of damaging

adjective

verb

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