damage
B2Neutral to formal; common in legal, insurance, news, and everyday contexts
Definition
Meaning
physical harm or impairment that reduces value, usefulness, or normal function
detrimental effects on non-physical things (reputation, relationships, prospects); legal compensation for loss or injury
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily uncountable when referring to the concept of harm; countable in legal/insurance contexts ('claim damages') or when referring to specific harmful effects ('the damages were extensive').
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minor. In legal contexts, 'damages' (plural) for compensation is universal. 'Damage' as a verb is slightly more frequent in AmE news corpora.
Connotations
Similar in both variants. Can imply negligence, accident, or intentional harm depending on context.
Frequency
Very high frequency in both; top 1500 words. Slightly higher in AmE in legal/insurance registers.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
damage + NOUN (damage property)BE damaged + PREP (damaged by fire)SUFFER/CAUSE/INFLICT damage + (to)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “the damage is done”
- “what's the damage? (informal: cost)”
- “damage control/limitation”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Referring to financial loss, asset depreciation, or reputational harm.
Academic
Used in environmental studies, psychology (e.g., 'cognitive damage'), law, and engineering.
Everyday
Discussing accidents, weather effects, or minor harm to possessions.
Technical
In engineering: 'fatigue damage'; in law: 'compensatory/punitive damages'; in medicine: 'tissue damage'.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The hail severely damaged the roof tiles.
- Leaking chemicals could damage the local ecosystem.
American English
- The lawsuit damaged the company's reputation.
- He didn't want to damage their friendship.
adverb
British English
- N/A (No direct adverbial form. Use 'in a damaging way').
American English
- N/A (No direct adverbial form. Use 'damagingly').
adjective
British English
- They sold the damaged goods at a reduced price.
- The storm left a trail of damaged properties.
American English
- The damaged vehicle was towed from the scene.
- Emotionally damaged characters are common in her novels.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The storm caused some damage to the fence.
- Be careful not to damage the book.
- The fire resulted in significant damage to the warehouse.
- Smoking can damage your health.
- The scandal inflicted lasting damage on the politician's career.
- The insurer assessed the damage to the property.
- The court awarded substantial damages for negligence and emotional distress.
- The policy is designed to mitigate reputational damage in a crisis.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a DAM with a big gash (AGE) in it – the DAM-AGE causes water to flood and harm the valley.
Conceptual Metaphor
HARM IS PHYSICAL DAMAGE (e.g., 'damage one's reputation', 'damaged relationship').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid using 'damage' for minor, temporary faults or breakdowns (use 'breakdown', 'malfunction'). 'Damage' implies more lasting harm. Don't confuse 'damage' (uncountable harm) with 'damages' (plural, legal compensation).
Common Mistakes
- Using 'damages' as a singular noun for physical harm (*The damages to the car was bad). Using 'damage' with indefinite article for general harm (*a big damage). Confusing 'damage' (n) with 'damages' (n, pl) legally.
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'damage' used INCORRECTLY?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Primarily uncountable. We say 'a lot of damage', not 'many damages'. It becomes countable only in the legal sense of 'damages' (financial compensation) or sometimes in technical contexts listing specific types of harm.
'Damage' usually refers to things, systems, or abstractions (reputation). 'Harm' is broader and can apply to people, animals, or things, often with an emotional/well-being nuance. 'Injure' is specific to physical harm to living beings.
Yes, commonly. As a verb, it means 'to cause damage to'. E.g., 'The incident damaged public trust.'
It's a casual idiom asking about the cost or negative consequences of something, often after a meal or repair. E.g., 'The car's fixed. What's the damage?' meaning 'How much do I owe?'