damage
Americannoun
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injury or harm that reduces value or usefulness.
The storm did considerable damage to the crops.
- Synonyms:
- loss
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Law. damages, the estimated money equivalent for detriment or injury sustained.
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Informal. Often damages. cost; expense; charge.
What are the damages for the lubrication job on my car?
verb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
noun
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injury or harm impairing the function or condition of a person or thing
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loss of something desirable
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informal cost; expense (esp in the phrase what's the damage? )
verb
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(tr) to cause damage to
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(intr) to suffer damage
Synonym Usage
Damage, detriment, harm, mischief refer to injuries of various kinds. Damage is the kind of injury or the effect of injury that directly impairs appearance, value, usefulness, soundness, etc.: Fire causes damage to property. Detriment is a falling off from an original condition as the result of damage, depreciation, devaluation, etc.: Overeating is a detriment to health. Harm may denote either physical hurt or mental, moral, or spiritual injury: bodily harm; harm to one's self-confidence. Mischief may be damage, harm, trouble, or misfortune caused by a person, especially if maliciously: an enemy who would do one mischief.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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nondamageableadjective
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damaginglyadverb
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redamageverb (used with object)
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damagingadjective
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predamagenoun
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quasi-damagedadjective
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damagernoun
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damageablenessnoun
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undamageableadjective
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undamagedadjective
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damageableadjective
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damageabilitynoun
Conjugated Forms
Present
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have damagedperfect
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are damagingprogressive
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has damagedperfect 3rd person singular
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has been damagingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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is damagingprogressive 3rd person singular
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have been damagingperfect progressive
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damagessingular 3rd person
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am damagingprogressive 1st person singular
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damagingparticiple
Past
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had damagedperfect
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had been damagingperfect progressive
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were damagingprogressive plural
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was damagingprogressive singular
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damagedparticiple
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damagedsimple
Future
Etymology
Origin of damage
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English, from Old French, equivalent to dam (from Latin damnum “damage, fine”) + -age -age; see damn
Explanation
When you damage something you hurt it in a way that makes it less valuable or useful. Say you throw a baseball and it flies over your friend's head and cracks your dad's windshield. Congratulations, you've damaged your dad's car. Damage can also be a noun. That crack in the windshield? It doesn't matter whether you 'fess up or blame your friend or a giant falling acorn. It made the car less valuable and harder to drive, therefore it is considered damage. Another meaning of damage implies the damage done to your wallet when you buy something. In a restaurant, you might hear someone ask "What's the damage?" when the check comes to the table.
Vocabulary lists containing damage
"Handle with Care"
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"The Clever Magistrate"
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New York Times Co. v. Sullivan (1964)
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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.
The drug also reduced albuminuria, a measure of protein in the urine and an important sign of kidney damage, by 42% after 12 months.
From Science Daily • Jun. 8, 2026
One, Giovanna, who stood in a crowd waiting to watch Sánchez speak following the results, said Fujimori's family had "done a lot of damage to our country", referencing Alberto Fujimori's forced sterilisation programme.
From BBC • Jun. 8, 2026
They have no server business to offset the damage.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 8, 2026
But the damage to Mr. Rubio’s credibility was done.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 7, 2026
“I don’t have to tell you that it’s important to control the damage to your family’s reputation. And that of your business. What Ruby did or didn’t do almost doesn’t matter.”
From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
