damaging

adjective

dam·​ag·​ing ˈda-mi-jiŋ How to pronounce damaging (audio)
: causing or able to cause damage : injurious
has a damaging effect on wildlife
damagingly adverb

Examples of damaging in a Sentence

the damaging effects of the sun on your skin The storm may produce damaging winds. He says he has damaging information about the candidate. The evidence was very damaging to their case.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Similarly, the recent court decisions do not change our view that the most economically damaging tariff possibilities have become less likely. Jeffrey Schulze, Forbes.com, 9 June 2025 More than 50 million people from Mississippi to western New York are under a slight risk Monday of receiving damaging wind, large-sized hail, flash flooding and a few tornadoes. Kenton Gewecke, ABC News, 9 June 2025 The severe storms are expected to move across the region — including Dallas-Fort Worth —packing the threat of damaging winds, spin-up tornadoes and hail, according to the National Weather Service in Fort Worth. Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 June 2025 Large hail, damaging wind, and continuous cloud to ground lightning are occurring with this storm. Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 8 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for damaging

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1828, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of damaging was circa 1828

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Cite this Entry

“Damaging.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/damaging. Accessed 14 Jun. 2025.

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