as in harmful
causing or capable of causing harm
the damaging effects of the sun on unprotected skin
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
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
2
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
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Recent Examples of damaging
Mark Prussin, CBS News, 17 Mar. 2026
But, as Mills’s allies might point out, that competitiveness assumes that nothing new and damaging will come out about Platner.
—Mark Leibovich, The Atlantic, 16 Mar. 2026
John Towfighi, CNN Money, 20 Mar. 2026
Soon after, Bahrain accused Iran of damaging one of its desalination plants.
—Zulekha Nathoo, USA Today, 20 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for damaging
Adjective
Tens of thousands of customers lost power across the New York-New Jersey area after severe weather, including heavy rain, damaging winds and a tornado warning, whipped through the region overnight into Tuesday morning.
—Mark Prussin, CBS News, 17 Mar. 2026
But, as Mills’s allies might point out, that competitiveness assumes that nothing new and damaging will come out about Platner.
—Mark Leibovich, The Atlantic, 16 Mar. 2026
Verb
New York — The war with Iran is disrupting global oil flows, damaging energy infrastructure and raising fears of prolonged conflict.
—John Towfighi, CNN Money, 20 Mar. 2026
Soon after, Bahrain accused Iran of damaging one of its desalination plants.
—Zulekha Nathoo, USA Today, 20 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for damaging
Recent Examples of Synonyms for damaging
Adjective
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Giamanco said the Civil Liability for Doxing Act protects a citizen from being deliberately targeted with false and harmful material.—
Michelle Mullins,
Chicago Tribune,
23 Mar. 2026
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Attorneys for Meta dispute the claims and say the company incorporates protections for teenagers and weeds out harmful content, while also acknowledging that some potentially harmful posts get past its safety nets.—
Morgan Lee,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
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An Air Canada jet carrying more than 70 passengers collided with a fire truck while landing at New York's LaGuardia Airport late Sunday, killing the pilot and copilot and injuring several others, officials said.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
24 Mar. 2026
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The impact severed the cockpit, killing the pilot and co-pilot, both based in Canada, and injuring dozens of others.—
Bradford Betz,
FOXNews.com,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
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An Iranian missile attack on Saturday hit the southern Israeli desert town of Dimona, badly wounding a child, according to Israel's ambulance service, and injuring dozens of others.—
Michael Loria,
USA Today,
22 Mar. 2026
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Israeli leaders visited Arad, one of two southern communities near a secretive nuclear research site struck by Iranian missiles late Saturday, wounding scores of people.—
Alon Bernstein,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The show without Teresa would have been detrimental to the franchise’s future.—
Armando Tinoco,
Deadline,
24 Mar. 2026
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Excess pollution of nutrients into waterways fuel harmful algal blooms, which can be detrimental to manatees and other aquatic life.—
Elizabeth Neville,
The Orlando Sentinel,
22 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The demoralizing graffiti marring the main entrance to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at 360 Lenox Ave.—
Colin Mixson,
New York Daily News,
12 Feb. 2026
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Miles Bridges and Moussa Diabate, along with Detroit’s Isaiah Stewart and Jalen Duren, were ejected for fighting, marring what was an intriguing game between the top team in the Eastern Conference and the one featuring the NBA’s longest current win streak.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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On top of that, US tariffs and growing competition in Asia are some of the other factors hurting its revenues.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
21 Mar. 2026
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Another issue worrying farmers in major food-producing countries like Brazil and India is that the war is also hurting the export market.—
Fatma Tanis,
NPR,
20 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Interestingly, this new Wi-Fi chip could finally enable the wireless control needed to make these dangerous cleanups faster and safer.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
24 Mar. 2026
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The chief medical officer for Huntington Beach Fire said the Southern Pacific rattlesnake found locally can produce a highly dangerous neurotoxic venom.—
Michele Gile,
CBS News,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Yet, Scolnick said if there were any questions about compromising safety, a supervisor would ask a controller to stay later for overtime.—
Alexandra Skores,
CNN Money,
26 Mar. 2026
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There’s evidently a limit to how far an actor will go in compromising their ability to portray a more youthful person.—
Valerie Monroe,
Allure,
25 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Damaging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/damaging. Accessed 27 Mar. 2026.
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