collateral damage
noun
: injury inflicted on something other than an intended target
specifically
: civilian casualties of a military operation
Examples of collateral damage in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The burial is a ghastly image that starkly illustrates the collateral damage that occurs when powerful people fight.
—
Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY, 1 July 2024
To varying degrees, each character has been undone by this crisis; all of them are collateral damage at the mercy of something larger and more insidious just out of view.
—Tim Grierson, Los Angeles Times, 27 June 2024
But even the smaller bombs have caused collateral damage.
—Lara Jakes, New York Times, 8 June 2024
Her mother’s methods don’t sit right with her, and the fact that Kira shows no remorse for the collateral damage that a very innocent Danny Turner turned out to be really bothers her.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 5 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for collateral damage 
Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY, 1 July 2024
To varying degrees, each character has been undone by this crisis; all of them are collateral damage at the mercy of something larger and more insidious just out of view.
—Tim Grierson, Los Angeles Times, 27 June 2024
But even the smaller bombs have caused collateral damage.
—Lara Jakes, New York Times, 8 June 2024
Her mother’s methods don’t sit right with her, and the fact that Kira shows no remorse for the collateral damage that a very innocent Danny Turner turned out to be really bothers her.
—Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 5 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for collateral damage
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'collateral damage.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near collateral damage
Cite this Entry
“Collateral damage.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/collateral%20damage. Accessed 11 Jul. 2024.
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