colossal damage

USAGE SUMMARY

'colossal damage' is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it to describe the significant harm someone or something has experienced due to a particular event or action. For example, you could say "The earthquake caused colossal damage to many homes and businesses in the area."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

15 human-written examples

Mr Sariev says Kumtor wreaks "colossal damage" upon the environment.

The Economist

But none of these seems scalable in the way needed to dent the colossal damage done by coal.

The Economist

These were removed rather than excavated, inflicting, together with the economic development of the country, colossal damage on ancient sites.

Encyclopedia Britannica

More important, she seems to have learned nothing from the colossal damage that the Iraq war has done to America's strategic position, in the Middle East and globally.

The New York Times - Books

Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Human Rights Watch, based in New York, had said "practically nothing about the colossal damage" to South Ossetia "as the result of Georgian aggression".

The New York Times

Facebook Twitter Google plus Share Share this post Facebook Twitter Google plus close 6.54pm BST18:54 Adnan Abdul Rahman, a resident of Rafah, tells the Guardian's Mona Mahmood (@monamood) about the situation in Gaza on Monday: Our neighbourhood in the Rafah district in Gaza has endured colossal damage within the last few days.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

45 human-written examples

The eccentric way the trial was conducted, as well as the colossal damages, means that the verdict will almost certainly be overturned on appeal.In this section How mergers go wrong A more realistic Russia Camp David's disputed city Blowing smoke Forlorn Fiji Labour's new prudence ReprintsNevertheless, this case is significant.

The Economist

Now, however, François Hollande and his Socialists may allow such suits, if a bill on consumer rights presented to the Council of Ministers on May 2nd is adopted in anything like its present form.This has upset people who fear that ambulance-chasing and colossal damages are invading Europe.

The Economist

EU leaders appeared to be playing for time to try to avoid colossal collateral damage across the eurozone, while the IMF was urging the EU to get its act together and guarantee a copper-bottomed bailout for Greece before the fund would commit to contributing.

The Guardian

The editor, Alastair Hetherington, held the story on the grounds, he said, that if it was untrue, the newspaper could face "colossal" libel damages.

The Guardian

That was a mistake of colossal proportions whose damage will plague us for decades.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing the aftermath of a disaster, use "colossal damage" to emphasize the extensive and widespread nature of the destruction. This phrase effectively conveys the magnitude of the impact.

Common error

Avoid using "colossal damage" for minor incidents. Reserve this phrase for situations where the scale of destruction is truly significant, such as widespread natural disasters or major infrastructure failures.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "colossal damage" functions primarily as a noun phrase where the adjective "colossal" modifies the noun "damage". It describes the extent or degree of harm inflicted upon something. Ludwig AI confirms its validity and usability.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

62%

Encyclopedias

8%

Wiki

5%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Science

22%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "colossal damage" is a grammatically correct and frequently used phrase to describe significant harm or destruction. Ludwig AI validates this, confirming that it is a usable phrase in written English. It is most commonly found in news and media, encyclopedias, and Wikipedia, with a neutral to formal register. When employing this phrase, it's best reserved for situations where the scale of destruction is truly immense, as it emphasizes the magnitude of the impact. Be sure to distinguish between "colossal damage", which refers to the act of harming something, and "colossal damages", which relates to financial compensation in legal contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

extensive destruction

Replaces the adjective "colossal" with "extensive" to describe the scale of destruction.

severe destruction

Emphasizes the intensity of destruction using the adjective "severe".

widespread devastation

Substitutes both words to convey a similar sense of broad and severe damage.

tremendous devastation

Uses "tremendous" to highlight the degree of devastation.

massive ruin

Uses "massive" in place of "colossal" and "ruin" instead of "damage", altering the tone slightly.

significant harm

Replaces "colossal" with "significant" and "damage" with "harm", resulting in a more general term.

extensive harm

Focuses on the broad reach of the harm caused.

substantial impairment

Uses more formal vocabulary to express the same idea of considerable damage.

catastrophic impact

Shifts focus to the impact of the damage, implying a disastrous outcome.

serious impairment

Highlights the severity of the impairment or damage.

FAQs

How can I use "colossal damage" in a sentence?

You can use "colossal damage" to describe situations where something has been severely harmed or destroyed, such as "The hurricane caused "colossal damage" to the coastal towns".

What are some alternatives to saying "colossal damage"?

Alternatives to "colossal damage" include "extensive destruction", "widespread devastation", or "massive ruin", depending on the specific context.

Is it correct to say "colossal damages" instead of "colossal damage"?

While "colossal damage" refers to the act or result of harming something, "colossal damages" typically refers to a large sum of money awarded in a legal case. They have distinct meanings and contexts.

What's the difference between "colossal damage" and "significant damage"?

"Colossal damage" implies a much larger scale of devastation compared to "significant damage". Use "colossal damage" when the destruction is truly immense and widespread.