Unharmed vs. undamaged: what’s the difference?
The short answer
Unharmed typically refers to living beings and their safety, while undamaged is used more broadly for objects and structures. Unharmed focuses on the absence of harm or injury, whereas undamaged focuses on the absence of physical damage.
What they have in common
Both unharmed and undamaged describe a state of having avoided injury or damage. They are used to convey that something or someone is in the same condition as before a potentially harmful event.
Examples
unharmed
- The child was found unharmed after the accident.
- Despite the rough journey, the explorers arrived unharmed.
- The rescue team ensured that the hikers were unharmed.
undamaged
- The package arrived at its destination undamaged.
- The storm left the building undamaged.
- The delicate vase was miraculously undamaged after the crash.
Which one is more common?
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