vandal

noun

van·​dal ˈvan-dᵊl 

1

Vandal : a member of a Germanic people who lived in the area south of the Baltic Sea between the Vistula and the Oder rivers, overran Gaul, Spain, and northern Africa in the fourth and fifth centuries a.d., and in 455 sacked Rome

2

: one who willfully or ignorantly destroys, damages, or defaces property belonging to another or to the public

vandal adjective

often Vandal

Vandalic

van-ˈda-lik 

adjective

Synonyms of vandal

• defacer
• destroyer

Examples of vandal in a Sentence

Vandals defaced the school's walls.

a group of vandals broke into the school and painted graffiti on the walls

Recent Examples on the Web

Vandals broke into a Catholic school in Long Beach overnight Monday, stealing church items, damaging statues and tossing the tabernacle to the ground, according to police and school officials. —Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 3 Feb. 2026

The mural can't be covered with anti-graffiti coating until it's completely finished, so Act 4 SA plans to install cameras and lights to deter potential vandals until then. —Annasofia Scheve, San Antonio Express-News, 3 Feb. 2026

Above those words was a video of a masked vandal adding a scatological element to the billboard, a suggestion that the first lady — ad shown in the ad — is relieving herself on an American flag. —Eve Batey, Vanity Fair, 31 Jan. 2026

Vandals defaced a boulder and other sites at Yosemite National Park with graffiti over the weekend. —Stephen Sorace , Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 28 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Late Latin Vandalī (plural) (Latin Vindilī, Vandiliī), probably borrowed from Germanic *wand-il-, noun derivative from a verbal base *wend- "wind, wrap, turn, move" (whence Old English windan "to twist, move with speed or force"), as in *auza-wandil-, perhaps, "dawn-wanderer," name of a star and mythological figure (whence Old Norse Aurvandill, Old English ēarendel) — more at wind entry 3

First Known Use

1530, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for vandal

• candle
• handle
• sandal
• scandal
• panhandle

Kids Definition

vandal

noun

van·​dal ˈvan-dᵊl 

1

capitalized : a member of a Germanic people overrunning Gaul, Spain, and northern Africa in the fourth and fifth centuries a.d.

2

: a person who destroys or damages property on purpose

Etymology

from Latin Vandalii (plural) "The Vandals"; of Germanic origin

Word Origin

The Vandals were a Germanic people who originally lived in northern Europe. In the fourth and fifth centuries, however, other barbarian peoples, especially the Huns, forced the Vandals to migrate westward and southward through what are now the lands of France and Spain. They finally settled in northern Africa. But as they migrated, the Vandals did not just pass through an area. They destroyed many cities and towns. They probably were no worse than other barbarians, but they became widely known for destruction. This probably happened because they invaded and looted the city of Rome in 455. They destroyed or ruined much of what they could not take with them. The Vandals were later defeated by the Roman army but their bad reputation caused their name to be used for "a deliberately destructive person."

Legal Definition

vandal

noun

van·​dal ˈvand-ᵊl 

: a person who willfully destroys, damages, or defaces property belonging to another or to the public

Etymology

Vandal, member of a Germanic tribe who sacked Rome in a.d. 455