as in harmful
causing or capable of causing harm
the damaging effects of the sun on unprotected skin
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in injuring
to reduce the soundness, effectiveness, or perfection of
the explosion in the sewers damaged the entire city's water supply
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in wounding
to cause bodily damage to
his knee was badly damaged in the accident, and he walked with a limp for months
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of damaging
Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Apr. 2026
Severe weather season has been off to a very active start in Illinois, with everything from flooding, hail, and damaging winds, and the most tornadoes of any state in the nation so far.
—Kylee Miller, CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026
Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 24 Apr. 2026
In 2023, a 22-year-old German tourist was accused of damaging the same statue after climbing on it while two of his friends took pictures of him.
—Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 24 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for damaging
Adjective
That scale of cut risks permanently damaging institutions that support tourism, local employment and community identity.
—Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Apr. 2026
Severe weather season has been off to a very active start in Illinois, with everything from flooding, hail, and damaging winds, and the most tornadoes of any state in the nation so far.
—Kylee Miller, CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026
Verb
If your hair is getting snagged while using the brush or seems to be damaging your hair, it should also be replaced.
—Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 24 Apr. 2026
In 2023, a 22-year-old German tourist was accused of damaging the same statue after climbing on it while two of his friends took pictures of him.
—Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 24 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for damaging
Recent Examples of Synonyms for damaging
Adjective
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But research has shown that several metabolic and heart diseases impair the immune system’s ability to moderate inflammation—causing harmful levels of inflammation in response to high cholesterol, fat or glucose.—
Lauren J. Young,
Scientific American,
27 Apr. 2026
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Today, 87% of agricultural subsidies are environmentally or socially harmful.—
Carlos Alvarado Quesada,
Fortune,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Based on preliminary data from the CHP’s Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System, more than 110,000 crashes resulted from unsafe speeds, leading to more than 400 deaths and injuring more than 68,000 people, the agency said.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Apr. 2026
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As Sousa-Martins drove forward, another agent shot at him 13 times, injuring Sousa-Martins as well as Solomon Antonio Serrano-Esquivel, a passenger in one of the ICE vehicles who was already in federal custody.—
Lily Carey,
Baltimore Sun,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Drone debris also fell on a roof of a residential building in the city of Samara, wounding a number of people, Fedorishchev said.—
Hanna Arhirova,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
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Local and federal law enforcement agencies responded to the Mall of Louisiana in Baton Rouge, Thursday, after gunfire broke out inside the shopping center's food court, killing at least one person and wounding several more.—
Alexandra Koch,
FOXNews.com,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Too much fertilizer can be detrimental to this wildflower.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
27 Apr. 2026
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Indeed, a large body of research has documented the detrimental impact of negative news on individuals’ mental and physical health, attitudes, and behaviors.—
Karen McIntyre,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Ancient lava fields can be seen as dark lunar maria marring the silvery lunar surface, which themselves are threaded with bright streaks of reflective debris strewn across the surface by violent asteroid strikes.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
2 Apr. 2026
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The demoralizing graffiti marring the main entrance to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at 360 Lenox Ave.—
Colin Mixson,
New York Daily News,
12 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The government is mindful of not hurting economic growth or spurring panic among consumers.—
Shoko Oda,
Bloomberg,
27 Apr. 2026
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Then Simons left the game on a stretcher just past the hour after hurting his knee.—
Jay Harris,
New York Times,
26 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The procedures noted that in some cases, outing students to parents could be dangerous to their health and well-being, and school officials should ask the students for consent to notify their parents of the support plan.—
Melissa Quinn,
CBS News,
27 Apr. 2026
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The world is more dangerous for leaders, across multiple dimensions.—
Diane Brady,
Fortune,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Rampart’s damage-tolerant design and payload flexibility are intended to support operations where aircraft may be lost without compromising overall mission effectiveness.—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
30 Apr. 2026
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As shoe trends have changed over the years, wearing sneakers has emerged as the best option for comfort without compromising style.—
Ruhama Wolle,
Glamour,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Damaging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/damaging. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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