Word
damaging
Phoneticsdam·ag·ing, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈdæmɪdʒɪŋ/
UK/dˈæmɪdʒɪŋ/
Definitions
01causing harm
B1 · Intermediate
adj. causing harm or injury to someone or something.
adj. causing physical, emotional, or abstract harm; often used to describe effects on health, the environment, or reputations.
“Smoking has a damaging effect on your lungs and overall health.”
“The leaked documents proved highly damaging to the senator's reputation, leading to a sharp decline in his approval ratings just weeks before the election.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
02the act of harming
C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Formal
n. the act of breaking or hurting something.
n. the action or process of inflicting harm or injury; functions as a gerund.
“The accidental damaging of the painting was a tragedy for the museum.”
“The systematic damaging of the ecosystem through industrial runoff has led to a significant loss of local biodiversity over the last decade.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “damaging” in context.
Verb
01. find the evidence damaging
“The jury found the forensic evidence damaging to the defendant's alibi.”
verb + noun + adj
02. prove damaging
“The new trade tariffs could prove damaging for small-scale manufacturers.”
verb + adj
Adjective
03. damaging allegations
“The CEO resigned shortly after a series of damaging allegations surfaced in the press.”
adj + noun
04. damaging effects
“Scientists are still studying the damaging effects of microplastics on marine ecosystems.”
adj + noun
05. damaging to health
“Sedentary lifestyles are increasingly recognized as being damaging to long-term health.”
adj + prep
Adverb
06. highly damaging
“The leaked documents proved to be highly damaging to the senator's reputation.”
adv + adj
07. potentially damaging
“The committee decided to redact the names to avoid releasing potentially damaging information.”
adv + adj
Real-World Examples
“Settlers often establish outposts near Palestinian communities and then harass residents – cutting utilities, damaging olive groves and livestock, and mounting regular attacks – until families leave.” “The recommendation to split the MMR vaccine when that is not technically possible could be especially damaging.” “More than 100 people died after a powerful earthquake struck western Colombia, collapsing and severely damaging scores of buildings in major cities including Cali and Pereira.” “Some UV exposure is essential for our wellbeing, but too much is damaging and can cause skin cancer.” Etymology
From damage + -ing.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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