collateral damage

NOUN

unintentional damage to non-military people or property during war

Synonyms

WEAK

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"It's not just the medical damage, but the collateral damage for relationships and families that is far greater than people have ever really thought to examine," she adds.

From BBC • Jun. 11, 2026

Chemotherapy attempts to control the disease through widespread cell destruction, causing significant collateral damage to healthy tissues that lead to side effects.

From Science Daily • Jun. 4, 2026

Multiyear conversions often reduce this collateral damage and remain one of the most reliable, low-error strategies for reducing taxes over time.

From MarketWatch • May 8, 2026

Mr. Spitz, the author of well-received studies of Bob Dylan, the Beatles and Led Zeppelin, has a clear-eyed view of the band: the business, the spectacle, the collateral damage.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026

Jonah was just collateral damage, falling with Gary when somebody else knocked Gary down.

From "Found" by Margaret Peterson Haddix