Synonyms

collateral damage

American

noun

the killing of civilians in a military attack.
any damage incidental to an activity.

collateral damage British

noun

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

"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

Etymology

Origin of collateral damage

First recorded in 1985–90

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.

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

From Literature

But the incident left a trail of collateral damage, several European diplomats said on condition of anonymity.

From Barron's

There are those not only livid with Lord Mandelson, but livid at the collateral damage being done to the prime minister.

From BBC

Markets will differentiate between assets that suffered structural damage and those that experienced collateral damage.

From MarketWatch

Short’s image has proven collateral damage in the long project to solve her crime.

From Los Angeles Times

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