C1noun3K

Casualty

UK /["/ˈkæʒuəlti/"]/US /["/ˈkæʒuəlti/"]/

Definition

a person who is killed or injured in war or in an accident

In simple words: A person injured or killed in an accident or war.

Examples

  • The casualty report indicated that several people were injured in the accident.
  • In war, the number of casualties can be devastating for both sides.
  • Emergency services rushed to the scene to assist the casualty as quickly as possible.
  • As a casualty of the economic crisis, many businesses were forced to close down.
  • His commitment to the project put him in the unfortunate position of being a casualty of office politics.

Usage notes

Use 'casualty' more in formal or neutral contexts, such as news reports or discussions about accidents and conflicts. Avoid in casual conversations.

Grammar pattern

countable noun

Memory hint

Think of 'casual tea' – imagine a tea party that suddenly has an accident.

Collocations

  • heavy
  • high
  • serious
  • cause
  • inflict
  • incur
  • count
  • figures
  • list
  • be admitted to
  • rush somebody to
  • take somebody to
  • department
  • unit
  • ward
  • in casualty

Synonyms

  • victim

Antonyms

  • survivor
  • rescuer

Common mistakes

  • Using 'casualty' to describe non-life-threatening injuries.
  • Confusing 'casualty' with 'causal' or 'causal link'.