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.

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

Of course, this is only the beginning of a tit-for-tat spite fest that yields terrible collateral damage.

From Salon • Apr. 23, 2026

“We’re trying to find ways to make sure that we’re not collateral damage in this giant build-out that may happen,” Aboud said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026

She had not wanted their family to become collateral damage in a war that had no discernible fronts, no real shape, and no rules.

From "Zeitoun" by Dave Eggers