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.
The storms are also known for their strong, damaging winds. Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 21 Feb. 2025 Hurricane Helene was a Category 4 storm that created a 500-mile path of destruction from Florida to North Carolina with catastrophic flooding, damaging winds and power outages. Devyn Byers, CNN, 16 Feb. 2025 Listen to this article More than 100,000 homes and businesses are without power across the Baltimore region as strong, damaging winds gusting up to 60 mph damage power lines, down trees, topple poles and more. Michelle Deal-Zimmerman, Baltimore Sun, 16 Feb. 2025 Storms with damaging winds and flash flooding were the main threats, but there was also the possibility of tornadoes. Daniel Amarante, ABC News, 16 Feb. 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 5 Mar. 2025.

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