damage

[ˈdæmɪdʒ]

damage Definition

• 1. physical harm caused to something that makes it less attractive, useful, or valuable
• 2. harmful effects on something that make it weaker or less successful
• 3. money that is paid to someone because they have been harmed or injured

Using damage: Examples

Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "damage" can be used in various situations through the following examples!

• Example

  The storm caused a lot of damage to the building.

• Example

  The accident resulted in serious damage to his car.

• Example

  The scandal caused irreparable damage to his reputation.

• Example

  The company is liable for any damage caused by their products.

damage Synonyms and Antonyms

Synonyms for damage

• harm
• ruin
• impairment
• injury
• destruction

Antonyms for damage

• improvement
• benefit

Idioms Using damage

• do damage

  to cause harm or injury

  Example

  The hurricane did a lot of damage to the coastal towns.

• on the damage

  paying for something that has been damaged or destroyed

  Example

  The insurance company is on the damage for the repairs to my car.

• take the damage

  to accept the consequences of something that has gone wrong

  Example

  He knew he had made a mistake and was willing to take the damage for it.

Phrases with damage

• collateral damage

  unintended harm or damage caused to people or things that are not intended to be affected by a particular action or event

  Example

  The bombing campaign resulted in significant collateral damage to nearby buildings and civilians.

• damage control

  actions taken to limit or minimize the negative effects of something that has gone wrong or is likely to go wrong

  Example

  The company's PR team went into damage control mode after the scandal broke out.

• take damage

  to suffer harm or injury

  Example

  The car took a lot of damage in the accident.

Origins of damage

from Old French 'damager', from Latin 'damnum', meaning 'loss'

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Summary: damage in Brief

The term 'damage' [ˈdæmɪdʒ] refers to physical harm or harmful effects that make something less attractive, useful, or valuable. It can also refer to money paid to someone who has been harmed or injured. Examples include 'The storm caused a lot of damage to the building,' and 'The scandal caused irreparable damage to his reputation.' Phrases like 'collateral damage' and 'damage control' denote unintended harm and actions taken to limit negative effects, respectively.