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
For now, the healthcare of tens of millions of Americans hangs in the balance, seemingly collateral damage in a politically and financially infeasible quest.
—
Robert Pearl, Forbes, 13 Jan. 2025
Mayor Scott, Commissioner Worley, and Executive Ball have a responsibility to ensure that Baltimore does not become collateral damage in a fight over immigration policy.
—Christopher Anderson, Baltimore Sun, 9 Jan. 2025
The collateral damage has typically been deemed worth it though, because when a treatment works, the cancer is destroyed and the patient lives.
—Michael Franco, New Atlas, 26 Dec. 2024
The bottom line: As Sun-Times education reporter Nader Issa wrote this week, the power struggle between Johnson and Martinez, and the collateral damage along the way, is unprecedented.
—Carrie Shepherd, Axios, 19 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for collateral damage 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Robert Pearl, Forbes, 13 Jan. 2025
Mayor Scott, Commissioner Worley, and Executive Ball have a responsibility to ensure that Baltimore does not become collateral damage in a fight over immigration policy.
—Christopher Anderson, Baltimore Sun, 9 Jan. 2025
The collateral damage has typically been deemed worth it though, because when a treatment works, the cancer is destroyed and the patient lives.
—Michael Franco, New Atlas, 26 Dec. 2024
The bottom line: As Sun-Times education reporter Nader Issa wrote this week, the power struggle between Johnson and Martinez, and the collateral damage along the way, is unprecedented.
—Carrie Shepherd, Axios, 19 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for collateral damage
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 18 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share