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Collateral damage
01
unintended negative consequence or harm resulting from an action
Grammatical Information
Animacy status
Abstract
Composition
Compound
Uncountable
Plural form
collateral damages
What does "collateral damage" mean in military slang?
The structure combines "collateral" (secondary) with "damage" (harm), forming a euphemistic noun phrase. It is used to describe unintended harm to civilians or non military targets during military operations, framing such losses as an unavoidable byproduct. Outside of military contexts, it also refers more broadly to any unintended victims or negative consequences of an action, such as workers laid off during a corporate merger or reputational harm from a scandal. The term originated in U.S. military jargon during the Vietnam War and gained wider usage during the 1990s Gulf War.
Examples
When the company cut budgets, low morale was the collateral damage.
