damage control

noun

1. a department or group, as aboard a naval vessel, responsible for taking action to control damage caused by fire, collision, etc.

2. any efforts, as by a company, to curtail losses, counteract unfavorable publicity, etc.

Other Word Forms

• damage-control adjective

Idioms and Phrases

Measures to minimize or curtail loss or harm. For example, As soon as they discovered the leak to the press, the senator's office worked night and day on damage control. Used literally since the 1950s, specifically for limiting the effect of an accident on a ship, this term began to be used figuratively in the 1970s.

Example Sentences

But it also attempts to do some damage control for Deen, who continues to reel from a bombshell 2013 deposition that soured her reputation and impacted her business — hard.

From Salon

Netanyahu engaged in damage control on Tuesday, saying he was talking specifically about Israel’s defense industry and that the wider economy was “strong and innovative.”

From Los Angeles Times

So the amount of damage control and cajoling it will take to keep things on track after the disaster in Arizona is enough to make a good fire advocate’s head spin.

From Los Angeles Times

The conservative outlet appeared to be in damage control on Thursday as the rift between Donald Trump and Elon Musk continued to deepen.

From Salon

"Let's be clear. This US-China reset is damage control, not a long-term solution. India must play the long game, or risk getting side-lined."

From BBC