Meaning & use
damage
Last updated
Meanings
noununcountable
Harm done to something that makes it worth less or less able to work properly.
Grammar: Uncountable: a lot of damage, not many damages.
Patterns
- damage to something
- cause damage
The storm caused serious damage to the roof.
There was no damage to the car.
Smoke damage ruined the books.
noununcountable
A harmful effect on someone's health, reputation or chances.
Grammar: Often used with to: damage to his reputation.
Patterns
- damage to someone's reputation
The scandal did lasting damage to her career.
Too much sun can cause skin damage.
The rumor did serious damage to the team's morale.
nounplurallegal
Money a court orders one party to pay another as compensation for loss or injury.
Grammar: Plural form damages in this legal sense: she was awarded damages.
Patterns
- pay damages
- sue for damages
The jury awarded him damages of ten thousand dollars.
She sued the company for damages.
The paper had to pay damages for the false story.
verbtransitive
To harm something so that it is worth less, works less well, or is weakened.
Grammar: Takes an object: damage the engine.
Patterns
- damage something
Frost can damage young plants.
The lie damaged their friendship.
He damaged his knee playing football.
Word forms
| plural | damages |
|---|---|
| third person singular | damages |
| past tense | damaged |
| past participle | damaged |
| -ing form | damaging |
Common combinations
- cause damage
- The flood caused extensive damage.
- serious damage
- The fire did serious damage to the school.
- repair the damage
- It took weeks to repair the damage.
- damage control
- The team went into damage control after the mistake.
- irreparable damage
- The oil spill caused irreparable damage.
- water damage
- Water damage ruined the carpet.
Synonyms and how they differ
- harm
- Harm is broader and often refers to people, while damage more often refers to objects.
- destruction
- Destruction means complete ruin, which is stronger than damage.
- injury
- Injury is physical hurt to a living thing, whereas damage can be to objects or reputations.
- impair
- Impair means to weaken a function, a narrower and more formal idea than damage.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: damage or destroy?
damage vs destroy
To destroy is to ruin completely, while to damage leaves something that may still be repaired.
Practice
Which sentence is correct?
Choose one answer.
Damage meaning physical harm is uncountable, so use a lot of damage. Damages with a s is only the legal compensation sense.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “damage”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.