incur

Hi!
I am learning the word" incur".
My source says it means something unpleasant happens to you because of something you have done.
So I wonder if my sentence I made is right or not.Could you check it for me ?
Also the synonym is sustain ,so may I use the word" sustain " in my sentence?
The sentence is as follows:
The financial department has the firm stance that they would incur terrible damage if they invest that company which is going broke.
Is the usage of the word idiomatic?

Thanks a lot!

"Damage" is not a word that is usually used when referring to pure finances. A more common term would be losses. Your use of "incur" is correct, and "sustain" could be used in its stead here.

"Terrible" is another word that is not usually used in financial discussions.

Some suggested changes:
"The financial department is firm in its stance that they would incur immense losses if they invested in a company that is going broke."

I might expect "that is about to go broke" or "that will go broke" would make more sense, but your phrasing is correct in the original sentence save for the use of "which" rather than "that."

KYC said:

The financial department has taken the firm stance that they would incur terrible damage if they invest in that company, which is going broke.
Is the usage of the word idiomatic?

Yes, both "incur" and "sustain" work in this context.

Thanks for your help!

KYC said:

I am learning the word" incur".
My source says it means something unpleasant happens to you because of something you have done.

Your source is not completely correct.

The Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary that I keep by my desk has both a good definition and a good example:

to become liable or subject to: bring down upon oneself (persons who adopt a child incur great responsibilities.)

It would be common to speak of incurring a debt when one borrows money to buy a new house. I am not sure, though, that I would call the state of paying off a mortgage "having something unpleasant hapen to you", because you are, after all, living in the new house that borrowing the money allowed you to buy.