damaging

adjective

dam·​ag·​ing ˈda-mi-jiŋ How to pronounce damaging (audio)
: causing or able to cause damage : injurious
has a damaging effect on wildlife
damagingly adverb

Examples of damaging in a Sentence

the damaging effects of the sun on your skin The storm may produce damaging winds. He says he has damaging information about the candidate. The evidence was very damaging to their case.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Officials have said the country’s infrastructure has been compromised by flooding and damaging winds. Matt Nighswander, NBC news, 30 Oct. 2025 Following a damaging price war, Beijing’s new five-year plan signaled the government will reduce EV subsidies and instead let the market decide winners and losers in the sector, the China-Global South Project wrote. J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 30 Oct. 2025 The resulting damaging winds, catastrophic flash flooding and landslides caused widespread infrastructure damage, including power and communication outages that left hundreds of thousands of residents in the dark. Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 29 Oct. 2025 The damaging winds are expected to gradually subside across Jamaica, but it is advised to remain in a safe shelter until sunrise. Miami Herald Hurricane Bot, Miami Herald, 29 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for damaging

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1828, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of damaging was circa 1828

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Cite this Entry

“Damaging.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/damaging. Accessed 1 Nov. 2025.

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