casualty
noun
ca·su·al·ty ˈka-zhəl-tē 
ˈkazh-wəl-,
ˈka-zhə-wəl-
plural casualties
1
a
: a military person lost through death, wounds, injury, sickness, internment, or capture or through being missing in action
The army sustained heavy casualties.
b
: a person or thing injured, lost, or destroyed : victim
the ex-senator was a casualty of the last election
2
: serious or fatal accident : disaster
losses from fire, storm, or other casualty
J. S. Seidman
J. S. Seidman3
archaic : chance, fortune
losses that befall them by mere casualty Sir Walter Raleigh
Sir Walter Raleigh
Synonyms
- fatality
- loss
- prey
- victim
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
a low number of casualties the real casualties in the war against drugs are millions of innocent children
Recent Examples on the Web Fears of a casualty heavy land invasion of Japan led President Harry Truman to order atomic bombs be dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki on August 6 and 9. Caitlin Mclean, USA TODAY, 16 Sep. 2022 The Pentagon hasn’t provided public casualty estimates for Ukrainian forces. Ann M. Simmons, WSJ, 9 Sep. 2022 Another casualty is Charm’s pageant book, which once attracted more than 100 pages of ads from local businesses. Good Housekeeping, 3 Sep. 2022 The Dolphins signed former Columbia High School standout Trey Flowers, who had been out of the NFL since the Detroit Lions released him as a salary-cap casualty on March 10. Mark Inabinett | Minabinett@al.com, al, 29 Aug. 2022 As part of the initiative military training, exercises will now include civilian casualty assessments so troops can practice procedures to avoid civilian casualties. Luis Martinez, ABC News, 29 Aug. 2022 Civilian casualty assessments will become a consistent element in military exercises so troops can practice how best to avoid killing the innocent. Lolita C. Baldor, ajc, 25 Aug. 2022 In 2001, Guidewire’s founders saw an opportunity to solve a big problem faced by most, if not all, property and casualty insurance companies. Kevin Kruse, Forbes, 25 Aug. 2022 As workers seek to distance their lives from work, the work friend has become a casualty. Chloe Berger, Fortune, 24 Aug. 2022 See More
Caitlin Mclean, USA TODAY, 16 Sep. 2022 The Pentagon hasn’t provided public casualty estimates for Ukrainian forces. Ann M. Simmons, WSJ, 9 Sep. 2022 Another casualty is Charm’s pageant book, which once attracted more than 100 pages of ads from local businesses. Good Housekeeping, 3 Sep. 2022 The Dolphins signed former Columbia High School standout Trey Flowers, who had been out of the NFL since the Detroit Lions released him as a salary-cap casualty on March 10. Mark Inabinett | Minabinett@al.com, al, 29 Aug. 2022 As part of the initiative military training, exercises will now include civilian casualty assessments so troops can practice procedures to avoid civilian casualties. Luis Martinez, ABC News, 29 Aug. 2022 Civilian casualty assessments will become a consistent element in military exercises so troops can practice how best to avoid killing the innocent. Lolita C. Baldor, ajc, 25 Aug. 2022 In 2001, Guidewire’s founders saw an opportunity to solve a big problem faced by most, if not all, property and casualty insurance companies. Kevin Kruse, Forbes, 25 Aug. 2022 As workers seek to distance their lives from work, the work friend has become a casualty. Chloe Berger, Fortune, 24 Aug. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
see casual entry 1
First Known Use
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3
Kids Definition
casualty
noun
ca·su·al·ty ˈka-zhəl-tē
plural casualties
1
: a person who is hurt or killed in a war, disaster, or accident
2
: a person or thing injured, lost, or destroyed
The old tree was a casualty of the storm.
Medical Definition
casualty
noun
ca·su·al·ty ˈkazh-əl-tē, ˈkazh-(ə-)wəl-
plural casualties
1
: a serious or fatal accident
2
: a military person lost through death, wounds, injury, sickness, internment, or capture or through being missing in action
3
a
: injury or death from accident
b
: one injured or killed (as by accident)
Legal Definition
casualty
noun
ca·su·al·ty ˈka-zhəl-tē, ˈka-zhə-wəl-
plural casualties
1
: an unfortunate occurrence
especially : a serious and often disastrous accident
conversion of property…arising from fire, storm, shipwreck, or other casualty Internal Revenue Code
Internal Revenue Code 2
: something lost, stolen, damaged, or destroyed see also casualty gain at gain, casualty loss at loss
casualty
noun
1
as in fatality
a person or thing harmed, lost, or destroyed the real casualties in the war against drugs are millions of innocent children Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- fatality
- victim
- prey
- loss
- martyr
- loser
- sacrifice
- underdog
- collateral damage
- murderee
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- winner
- victor
- killer
- murderer
- gainer
- assassin
- injurer
- harmer
2
as in accident
a chance and usually sudden event bringing loss or injury casualties at sea that sometimes resulted in great losses of men or even of entire ships Synonyms & Similar Words
- accident
- disaster
- catastrophe
- mishap
- tragedy
- mischance
- calamity
- misfortune
- collision
- misadventure
- crash
- cropper
- wreck
- deathblow
- smashup
- cataclysm
- bummer
- knock
- crack-up
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- strike
- miracle
- windfall
- break
- boon
- fluke
- godsend
- luck
- fortune
- serendipity
3
as in luck
archaic the uncertain course of events believes finding one's true love is too important a matter to be left to mere casualty Synonyms & Similar Words
- accident
- luck
- chance
- hazard
- circumstance
- uncertainty
- hap
- risk
- fate
- danger
- fluke
- randomness
- fortuity
- destiny
- peril
- fortuitousness
- happenstance
- haphazardry
- doom
- fortune
- happenchance
- lot
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- purpose
- intent
- intention
- plan
- design
- scheme
- outline