collateral
17 synonyms and 1 antonym for collateral, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — An asset pledged as security for a loan, which the lender can claim if the borrower fails to repay.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Synonyms by Meaning
1. noun
An asset pledged as security for a loan, which the lender can claim if the borrower fails to repay.
“He put up his car as collateral for the loan.”
2. adj
Secondary or incidental, alongside the main effect or target.
“The report focused on collateral damage from the policy change.”
Opposites
How to use collateral
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Etymology
From Medieval Latin collateralis, from Latin col- ("together with") and latus ("side") — literally "at the side".
Full origin of collateral →