collateral damage

American  

noun

1. the killing of civilians in a military attack.

2. any damage incidental to an activity.

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collateral damage British  

noun

1. military unintentional damage to civil property and civilian casualties, caused by military operations

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Etymology

Origin of collateral damage

First recorded in 1985–90

Example Sentences

But Dublin feels Hull have become "collateral damage" in a case which does not even involve them.

From BBC • May 19, 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

This targeted approach allows the immune system to remove threats efficiently while minimizing collateral damage to nearby tissue.

From Science Daily • Apr. 30, 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

Jonah was just collateral damage, falling with Gary when somebody else knocked Gary down.

From "Found" by Margaret Peterson Haddix