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
Law enforcement witnesses have testified about copious quantities of baby oil, Astroglide and drugs recovered from Combs’ lavish properties and hotel rooms, in addition to defaced semiautomatic weapons and ammunition.
—
Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 23 June 2025
Two of the pistols, a Glock 9mm pistol and the Colt .380 pistol, allegedly had defaced serial number, the bureau said.
—Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald, 12 June 2025
Austin police used pepper spray balls and state police used tear gas when demonstrators began trying to deface the federal building with spray paint.
—Greg Norman, FOXNews.com, 11 June 2025
The Trump administration's crackdown on immigration enforcement spurred protests in Los Angeles, in which some demonstrators hurled large chunks of broken concrete at officers, slashed tires and defaced buildings, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
—Sudiksha Kochi, USA Today, 10 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for deface
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Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 23 June 2025
Two of the pistols, a Glock 9mm pistol and the Colt .380 pistol, allegedly had defaced serial number, the bureau said.
—Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald, 12 June 2025
Austin police used pepper spray balls and state police used tear gas when demonstrators began trying to deface the federal building with spray paint.
—Greg Norman, FOXNews.com, 11 June 2025
The Trump administration's crackdown on immigration enforcement spurred protests in Los Angeles, in which some demonstrators hurled large chunks of broken concrete at officers, slashed tires and defaced buildings, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
—Sudiksha Kochi, USA Today, 10 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for deface
Cite this Entry
“Deface.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deface. Accessed 6 Jul. 2025.
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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