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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of damaging
Tom MacCubbin, Orlando Sentinel, 1 Feb. 2025
On Wednesday evening, when the storm moves in, there's a chance for damaging winds, hail and even an isolated tornado in Texas.
—Max Golembo, ABC News, 29 Jan. 2025
On Thursday, the storm will fully blossom in the South, bringing the threat of tornadoes and damaging winds from Houston to Jackson, Mississippi.
—Max Golembo, ABC News, 29 Jan. 2025
The tower came crashing down across South Osage Street, damaging power cables and falling just short of a home.
—Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 29 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for damaging 
Adjective
Severe cold could be very damaging to lawns; most should regrow.
—Tom MacCubbin, Orlando Sentinel, 1 Feb. 2025
On Wednesday evening, when the storm moves in, there's a chance for damaging winds, hail and even an isolated tornado in Texas.
—Max Golembo, ABC News, 29 Jan. 2025
On Thursday, the storm will fully blossom in the South, bringing the threat of tornadoes and damaging winds from Houston to Jackson, Mississippi.
—Max Golembo, ABC News, 29 Jan. 2025
The tower came crashing down across South Osage Street, damaging power cables and falling just short of a home.
—Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 29 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for damaging
Recent Examples of Synonyms for damaging
Adjective
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Listeria is especially harmful to people who are pregnant, aged 65 or older, or with weakened immune systems, according to the CDC.—
Kelly Tyko,
Axios,
10 Feb. 2025
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Many invasive species end up in U.S. ecosystems when people release aquarium pets that are harmful to native species.—
Kate Linderman,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
10 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Meanwhile, a car plowed through a Christmas market in Magdeburg, Germany, on Friday night, killing five people and injuring some 200 others.—
Josh Hammer,
Newsweek,
23 Dec. 2024
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The anti-immigrant rhetoric has been so acute that an anti-immigration far-right extremist in Germany — ironically himself an immigrant — just attacked a holiday market, killing at least five and injuring hundreds.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
23 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Tariffs are particularly detrimental to industries with complex supply chains, where goods cross the border multiple times as firms seek to turn inputs into final goods.—
Chloe Taylor,
CNBC,
5 Feb. 2025
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The bench has struggled at times which could be detrimental come playoff but.—
David Faris,
Newsweek,
4 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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This amount can weigh down trees and power lines — causing power outages — and make travel dangerous to borderline impossible.—
Mary Gilbert,
CNN,
5 Feb. 2025
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This feeds into Newcastle’s 2-0 advantage which, as another cliche tells us, is the most dangerous lead in football.—
George Caulkin,
The Athletic,
5 Feb. 2025
Verb
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For example, Netflix uses it to deliver seamless streaming to millions, scaling efficiently without compromising speed.—
Jyothish R,
Forbes,
27 Dec. 2024
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Now, as Teddy barrels ahead with a Senate campaign, they are targeted by an anonymous leaker showing them in compromising positions.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
26 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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The unions argue that the offer fails to consider possible adverse consequences to the government's ability to function; sets an arbitrarily short deadline; and is pretext for removing and replacing workers on an ideological basis, among other things.—
Andrea Hsu,
NPR,
6 Feb. 2025
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The study said adverse side effects and cost were the most common reasons patients stopped the drugs that were documented in clinical notes.—
Annika Kim Constantino,Ashley Capoot,
CNBC,
4 Feb. 2025
Verb
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The fate of the company remains uncertain, and efforts to preserve its American roots could end up harming workers in Pennsylvania in the long run.—
Alan Rappeport,
New York Times,
3 Jan. 2025
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Even in the absence of barriers, a self-driving car would’ve stopped short of harming the crowd assembled in New Orleans on Wednesday, Missy Cummings, a professor of systems engineering and director of Mason Autonomy and Robotics Center at George Mason University, told ABC News.—
Max Zahn,
ABC News,
2 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Ernie Tedeschi: There seems to be this sense in the White House that trade surpluses are good, and trade deficits are bad.—
Steve Inskeep,
NPR,
3 Feb. 2025
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Since its release last week, fans across Reddit, X, YouTube, and even the game’s official site all agree: Trading in Pocket is very, very bad.—
Megan Farokhmanesh,
WIRED,
3 Feb. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near damaging
Cite this Entry
“Damaging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/damaging. Accessed 16 Feb. 2025.
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