Synonyms

damages

British

/ ˈdæmɪdʒɪz /

plural noun

law money to be paid as compensation to a person for injury, loss, etc

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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 mother is suing the district for negligence and premises liability and seeking damages in an amount to be determined at trial for medical bills, emotional distress and other relief deemed proper by the court.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2026

Her lawsuit, filed in the District Court for the Eastern District of California, seeks damages for violations of federal civil rights and state law, including false arrest, unlawful search and seizure, and defamation.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 7, 2026

Appeal judges have reduced the damages previously awarded to a former pupil who said he was repeatedly restrained at a private residential special school.

From BBC • Apr. 6, 2026

The plaintiff was awarded $6 million in damages, with Meta responsible for 70% of that amount and Google’s YouTube on the hook for the remainder.

From Barron's • Apr. 2, 2026

The Court has ruled that a city police department cannot be sued for damages unless a specific city policy or custom can be identified authorizing the illegal practice.

From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023