adjective
Common
damaging
DA-mihd-zhihng
Damaging (adjective) means causing harm, injury, or a loss in value. Example: “Heavy rain can be damaging to crops if it falls just before the harvest.”
adjective
1
Causing harm, injury, or a loss in value.
"Heavy rain can be damaging to crops if it falls just before the harvest."
"The leaked emails were deeply damaging to the campaign."
"Smoking has damaging effects on the lungs."
How to use damaging
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSomething that hurts, harms, or makes things worse.
Common pairings
damaging effects
damaging revelations
potentially damaging
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Word forms
- Comparative
- more damaging
- Superlative
- most damaging
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Heavy rain can be _____ to crops if it falls just before the harvest.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for damaging
aging
raging
paging
imaging
staging
engaging
managing
foraging
packaging
rummaging
massaging
averaging
See all rhymes for damaging →
Frequently asked questions
What does “damaging” mean?
The word “damaging” means causing harm, injury, or a loss in value. In plain terms, something that hurts, harms, or makes things worse.
How do you pronounce “damaging”?
“Damaging” is pronounced DA-mihd-zhihng (/ˈdæmɪd͡ʒɪŋ/ in IPA).
How do you use “damaging” in a sentence?
Here is “damaging” used in a sentence: “The leaked emails were deeply damaging to the campaign.”
What part of speech is “damaging”?
“Damaging” is an adjective.
Is “damaging” a common word?
“Damaging” is a fairly common word in modern English.
What is the difference between "damaging" and "damaged"?
"Damaging" describes something that causes harm, as in "a damaging rumour". "Damaged" describes something that has already been harmed, as in "a damaged car"; one is active in causing harm, the other is the result of harm.
What is the difference between "damaging" and "harmful"?
Both mean causing harm, but "harmful" often refers to physical or health harm, as in "harmful chemicals". "Damaging" is frequently used for harm to reputation, value, or relationships, as in "a damaging scandal".
What is the difference between "damaging" and "detrimental"?
"Damaging" and "detrimental" both describe things that cause harm or loss. "Detrimental" is more formal and usually describes a gradual, negative effect, as in "detrimental to health", while "damaging" covers both sudden and lasting harm and is used more widely.
What nouns commonly follow "damaging"?
"Damaging" often pairs with words such as "effects", "consequences", "impact", "evidence", "rumours", and "allegations". The intensifiers "potentially damaging" and "highly damaging" are also common.
