the damage

Idioms

The cost or price of something, as in So what's the damage for this outfit? This seemingly modern slangy phrase, with damage alluding to the harm done to one's pocketbook, was first recorded in 1755.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

By the time fear sets in, the damage is done.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 11, 2026

Despite the damage, "all persons were accounted for and no injuries were reported", a spokesperson added.

From BBC • Jun. 9, 2026

Infrastructure damage, meanwhile, means some communities will be cut off for at least a week because of the damage to roads and the collapse of a bridge.

From Barron's • Jun. 9, 2026

Based on real events, “Sherwood” is both a murder mystery and a contemplation of the damage done by class-based strife and longheld grudges, often based on misinformation.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 2026

She climbed down the ladder and surveyed the damage from ground level before picking a shovel off the floor.

From Anya and the Dragon by Sofiya Pasternack

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023