Collateral (Adjective)
Meaning 1
Occurring with or following as a consequence; "an excessive growth of bureaucracy, with attendant problems"; "snags incidental to the changeover in management"; "attendant circumstances"; "the period of tension and consequent need for military preparedness"; "the ensuant response to his appeal"; "the resultant savings were considerable"; "collateral target damage from a bombing run".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- The new policy has led to collateral problems, including increased costs and decreased productivity.
- The company's decision to downsize resulted in collateral damage to the local community.
- The researcher's discovery of a new species had collateral implications for the field of biology.
- The economic downturn had collateral effects on the housing market and consumer spending.
- The war had collateral consequences for the environment, including widespread destruction of ecosystems.
Synonyms
Meaning 2
Situated or running side by side; "collateral ridges of mountains".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- The two rivers flowed in a collateral course for several miles before merging into a single stream.
- The collateral roads on either side of the highway were closed due to construction.
- The mountain range had several collateral peaks, each with its own unique ecosystem.
- The collateral valleys were fertile and suitable for farming, while the main valley was rocky and barren.
- The city's collateral neighborhoods were connected by a network of narrow streets and alleys.
Meaning 3
Additional but secondary; auxiliary;.
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- The professor's book was a collateral source of income that helped supplement her salary.
- Collateral damage from the hurricane included power outages and destroyed homes.
- Her research focused on the primary cause of the disease, with the secondary symptoms being of collateral interest.
- The new employee's role was collateral to the main project, providing administrative support.
- The movie's special effects were a collateral aspect of the production, adding to the overall spectacle.
Meaning 4
Serving to support or corroborate; "collateral evidence".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- The eyewitness account provided collateral evidence that helped to confirm the suspect's alibi.
- Researchers looked for collateral data to validate their findings and strengthen their argument.
- The historian uncovered collateral documents that shed new light on the events leading up to the war.
- The expert's testimony offered collateral support for the plaintiff's claim of negligence.
- The team collected collateral information from multiple sources to verify the accuracy of their hypothesis.
Synonyms
- Validating
- Confirmative
- Verifying
- Substantiating
- Validatory
- Corroboratory
- Verificatory
- Corroborative
- Substantiative
- Confirming
- Confirmatory
Related Words
Meaning 5
Descended from a common ancestor but through different lines; "cousins are collateral relatives"; "an indirect descendant of the Stuarts".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- The king's collateral descendants continued to hold power in the region for centuries.
- The researchers studied the collateral relatives of the patient to understand the genetic basis of the disease.
- As a collateral heir, she was entitled to a share of the estate, but only after the direct descendants had received their inheritance.
- The company's collateral damage from the scandal was significant, with many customers choosing to take their business elsewhere.
- The genealogist spent years tracing the collateral lines of the family to reconstruct their complex family tree.