1
as in to vandalize
to deliberately cause the damage or destruction of another's property
the principal vowed to get the punks who defaced the statue in front of the school
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to injure
to reduce the soundness, effectiveness, or perfection of
years of wear had defaced the fine engraving on the coins
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of deface
In Australia, synagogues were firebombed, cars torched and Jewish community buildings defaced – the types of attacks recently seen in the United Kingdom that have prompted calls for a crackdown on antisemitism.
—
Cnn.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 25 Apr. 2026
No one in Florida had been charged with criminal mischief for defacing a traffic control device until the August arrests.
—Cristóbal Reyes, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 Apr. 2026
But then on Christmas Day of that year, Roonstrasse was defaced with antisemitic graffiti.
—Daniela R. P. Weiner, The Conversation, 17 Apr. 2026
Another admonishes participants not to urinate in the street, start fights, block streets, climb on cars or deface property — all things that have been problems some years.
—Larry Neumeister, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for deface
Cnn.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 25 Apr. 2026
No one in Florida had been charged with criminal mischief for defacing a traffic control device until the August arrests.
—Cristóbal Reyes, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 Apr. 2026
But then on Christmas Day of that year, Roonstrasse was defaced with antisemitic graffiti.
—Daniela R. P. Weiner, The Conversation, 17 Apr. 2026
Another admonishes participants not to urinate in the street, start fights, block streets, climb on cars or deface property — all things that have been problems some years.
—Larry Neumeister, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for deface
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deface
Verb
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When the allegations began circulating on social media Monday night, videos showed a crowd gathering on the high school campus, including some who reportedly vandalized the teacher’s car.—
Amy McDaniel,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
10 Dec. 2025
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In a backlash against Musk and his DOGE efforts earlier this year, Tesla dealerships and individual vehicles were vandalized, and dozens of protests erupted across the country.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
10 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Police did not reveal the identities of the six on board or the condition of those injured.—
Diego Mendoza,
CNN Money,
17 June 2026
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One person was killed and another was injured Tuesday by a shooter at a Delaware hospital who remains at large, police said.—
Dennis Romero,
NBC news,
17 June 2026
Verb
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Madeira is intentionally exposed to heat and oxygen during aging, something that would destroy most wines.—
Emily Price,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
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Terminix utilizes the advanced Sentricon baiting system alongside traditional liquid barriers to destroy subterranean colonies entirely.—
Nick Perry,
USA Today,
14 June 2026
Verb
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Even some supporters called that a mistake that damaged his credibility.—
Susan Page,
USA Today,
15 June 2026
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Elation veered into chaos as revelers clashed with police, a teen was shot, multiple people were stabbed and vehicles torched or damaged, leading to at least 63 arrests.—
Michael R. Sisak,
Los Angeles Times,
14 June 2026
Verb
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Tony Chunkapura's home had to be gutted and demolished after the flooding in 2021.—
Evan Bush,
NBC news,
12 Dec. 2025
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And so the idea to demolish visible panty lines was born.—
Brittany Talarico,
PEOPLE,
11 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Moss’s performance last Sunday was marred by Washington’s final drive in overtime, when receiver Deebo Samuel beat him for a 38-yard route down the right sideline to set up a Commanders touchdown.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
6 Dec. 2025
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The 2018 and 2022 World Cups, awarded to Russia and Qatar respectively, were marred by controversy surrounding their assignment and the host governments’ authoritarian tendencies and human rights credentials.—
Gabriel Sama,
Mercury News,
5 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Historically, barrels of Madeira spent months crossing tropical oceans aboard ships, and merchants realized that the heat actually improved the wine rather than ruining it.—
Emily Price,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
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However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.—
Don Sweeney,
Sacbee.com,
14 June 2026
Verb
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The fall broke both his legs, crippling him.—
Jennifer Ouellette,
ArsTechnica,
14 June 2026
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However, thanks to this unconventional build, Argus can traverse a wide range of terrains, move with equal ease in almost any direction, and shrug off damage that would cripple many robots.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
9 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Deface.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deface. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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