defaced; defacing; defaces
1
: to mar the appearance of : injure by effacing significant details
deface an inscription
2
: impair
3
obsolete
: destroy
defacer
noun
Examples of deface in a Sentence
The building was defaced with graffiti.
He was fined for defacing public property.
Recent Examples on the Web
Williams said Homeland Security Investigations agents who raided Combs' homes in Los Angeles and Miami in March found firearms and ammunition, including three defaced AR-15s and a large-capacity drum magazine.
—
Elias Lopez, CBS News, 17 Sep. 2024
Other activists, who have defaced famous artworks and buildings, were arrested and charged with criminal damage and trespassing.
—Kara Fox, CNN, 14 Sep. 2024
These acts included defacing a statue in Portland, Oregon, that honored George Floyd; a mural in Olympia, Washington, that celebrated gay pride; and a mural in Richmond, Virginia, commemorating the tennis star Arthur Ashe.
—David D. Kirkpatrick, The New Yorker, 18 Aug. 2024
Under a new Italian law, visitors who deface monuments can face steep penalties of up to €40,000 (nearly $44,000)—and up to €60,000 for more serious acts of destruction.
—Julia Binswanger, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for deface 
Elias Lopez, CBS News, 17 Sep. 2024
Other activists, who have defaced famous artworks and buildings, were arrested and charged with criminal damage and trespassing.
—Kara Fox, CNN, 14 Sep. 2024
These acts included defacing a statue in Portland, Oregon, that honored George Floyd; a mural in Olympia, Washington, that celebrated gay pride; and a mural in Richmond, Virginia, commemorating the tennis star Arthur Ashe.
—David D. Kirkpatrick, The New Yorker, 18 Aug. 2024
Under a new Italian law, visitors who deface monuments can face steep penalties of up to €40,000 (nearly $44,000)—and up to €60,000 for more serious acts of destruction.
—Julia Binswanger, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for deface
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'deface.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near deface
Cite this Entry
“Deface.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deface. Accessed 20 Sep. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
Legal Definition
deface
transitive verb
de·face
di-ˈfās 
defaced; defacing
: to destroy or mar the face or surface of
defacement
noun
defacer
noun
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