DAMAGES Synonyms: 149 Similar and Opposite Words

damages 1 of 2

noun

plural of damage

as in penalty

a sum of money to be paid as a punishment ordered by the court to pay $1000 in damages

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Relevance

as in reparation

payment to another for a loss or injury the company was forced to pay millions in damages to the permanently disabled worker

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damages

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of damage

as in injures

to reduce the soundness, effectiveness, or perfection of the explosion in the sewers damaged the entire city's water supply

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in wounds

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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of damages

Noun

The trial, which got underway in an Oakland court last week, could result in billions of dollars in damages and forced remedies that could lead to an overhaul of Facebook and Instagram. — Paulina Likos, CNBC, 24 Aug. 2026 The lawsuit asks for a jury trial, an injunction against ongoing and future copyright infringement and unspecified damages. — Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 23 Aug. 2026 O’Keefe’s appeal proved successful on Friday, when the three-judge panel agreed, with one judge dissenting in part, to discard the $130,000 damages judgment. — Molly Parks, The Washington Examiner, 22 Aug. 2026 Having exited the company in late 2025 not long after Ellison’s Skydance took control of the company from Shari Redstone, Paramount’s ex-president of Domestic Theatrical Distribution wants more than $4 million in unspecified damages. — Dominic Patten, Deadline, 21 Aug. 2026 The Infowars founder can only be forced to pay about $6 million, the Texas Third Court of Appeals ruled in a unanimous opinion, citing state laws that limit lawsuit damages. — Jim Vertuno, Fortune, 21 Aug. 2026 The lawsuit filed by Cindy Clemishire and her father sought civil damages in excess of $1 million. — Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Aug. 2026 Schade urged legislators to pass caps on damages people can receive in court and raise the standard of evidence needed to win a case, particularly when potential witnesses or records to verify the allegations are not available. — Stephen Hobbs, Sacbee.com, 21 Aug. 2026 Attorneys general from California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey are seeking extensive financial damages plus changes to how the company operates Facebook and Instagram. — ABC News, 18 Aug. 2026

Verb

And one of the toughest critiques — that service damages mental health — doesn’t hold up. — Tom Suozzi, Chicago Tribune, 24 Aug. 2026 Nuisance, negligence and harm to residents The largest set of claims in the lawsuit has to do with arguing that the data center damages residents’ health, futures and quality of life in the areas closest to the 400-acre hyperscale AI factory. — Ilana Arougheti updated August 14, Kansas City Star, 14 Aug. 2026 Celiac disease is an autoimmune condition in which consuming gluten — a protein found in wheat, barley and rye — triggers an immune response that damages the small intestine. — Christina Dugan Ramirez, FOXNews.com, 11 Aug. 2026 The study also found that 28% of all meetings have long-lasting negative effects, and nearly half of the workforce (47%) actively damages coworker relationships by venting about their frustration after the fact. — Janine Schindler, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026 So gadusol is this natural compound that some fish make, especially in their eggs, to protect themselves from that same ultraviolet light that damages our skin. — Popular Science Team, Popular Science, 6 Aug. 2026 The trouble begins when their tunneling becomes excessive or damages your lawn and garden. — Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 5 Aug. 2026 Similarly, if a house fire damages your HVAC equipment, replacement costs are generally included as part of your dwelling coverage. — Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 30 July 2026 If a satellite reflects sunlight down and damages someone's observatory, that probably doesn't count as damage under the Outer Space Treaty. — Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 27 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for damages

Noun

As part of the penalty for these crimes, Hickey has been ordered to post an apology video on social media.

— Kris Millgate, Outdoor Life, 21 Aug. 2026
On the next play, Jefferson threw the ball into the chest of a receiver at the one-yard line, only for another holding penalty to negate the play.

— Caleb Otte, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of penalty

Verb

The heist goes wrong when one sister injures her back and ends up trapped on the second floor, setting off an increasingly frantic bid to get out before the homeowner comes home.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 7 Aug. 2026
Early on in the clip, Jake Johnson’s former tennis star Dusty Boyd trips over the net and injures his wrist in a bad way.

— Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 23 June 2026

Definition of injures

Noun

Accept a meal voucher or a goodwill gift card, and the fine print can waive your right to cash compensation worth many times more.

— Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026
Players who appear in preseason games should receive additional game compensation beyond their training-camp weekly stipend.

— Jason Lloyd, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of compensation

Verb

Especially the guy who bangs a wrecking ball against the historic East Wing to make room for an incongruous ballroom monstrosity, who mars the sacred Oval Office with gold glitter and paves over the lovely Rose Garden.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
Jacob Whitehead Homophobic chant mars Mexico’s win Before the World Cup, the Mexican football federation launched a campaign that featured the heroes of the country’s 1986 World Cup side.

— Jack Lang, New York Times, 26 June 2026

Definition of mars

Verb

Sure, the latter hurts the stats, but Daniels loved being able to close out the victory.

— Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 23 Aug. 2026
Yet YouTube has told creators cross-posting on its platform and Netflix hurts viewership on YouTube and conveys the idea that channels are deprioritizing the streaming platform as their primary distribution outlet.

— Lucas Shaw, Fortune, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of hurts

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Style

“Damages.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/damages. Accessed 27 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of damages

noun

verb

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