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
Following the silent protest, MLB warned players not to deface their uniforms.
—
David K. Li,
NBC news,
23 June 2026
No patriots so defaced America as those who, in the name of Americanism, launched a witch hunt that became a byword around the world.
—
Ann Manov,
Harpers Magazine,
23 June 2026
Trump, in one of his Truth Social posts, cited laws against defacing monuments as grounds for imprisoning anyone harming the pool.
—
Nathan Ellgren,
Chicago Tribune,
22 June 2026
That was the last time the sign was defaced.
—
Sara Tenenbaum,
CBS News,
12 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for deface
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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David K. Li,
NBC news,
23 June 2026
No patriots so defaced America as those who, in the name of Americanism, launched a witch hunt that became a byword around the world.
—
Ann Manov,
Harpers Magazine,
23 June 2026
Trump, in one of his Truth Social posts, cited laws against defacing monuments as grounds for imprisoning anyone harming the pool.
—
Nathan Ellgren,
Chicago Tribune,
22 June 2026
That was the last time the sign was defaced.
—
Sara Tenenbaum,
CBS News,
12 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for deface
Cite this Entry
“Deface.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deface. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
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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