disfigure

verb

dis·​fig·​ure dis-ˈfi-gyər 

 especially British  -ˈfi-gə

disfigured; disfiguring; disfigures

transitive verb

1

: to impair (as in beauty) by deep and persistent injuries

a face disfigured by smallpox

2

obsolete : disguise

disfigurement

dis-ˈfi-gyər-mənt 

 especially British  -ˈfi-gə-

noun

Synonyms

• blemish
• bloody
• break
• compromise
• crab
• cripple
• cross (up)
• damage
• deface
• endamage
• flaw
• harm
• hurt
• impair
• injure
• mar
• spoil
• vitiate

Examples of disfigure in a Sentence

His face was disfigured by a scar.

the statue was seriously disfigured by falling rubble during the earthquake

Recent Examples on the Web

This experimental medical treatment of young boys that disfigures them and sterilizes them for life. —Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 24 Apr. 2025

Survivors were often left blind, scarred or disfigured. —Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 11 Apr. 2025

Another subject will be Ian Paterson, the surgeon who left hundreds of patients disfigured after carrying out needless operations. —Max Goldbart, Deadline, 30 Apr. 2025

Read Next California Toddler disfigured by burns in ‘horrific’ child endangerment case in CA. —Mike Stunson, Kansas City Star, 5 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French desfigurer, from des- dis- + figure figure

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for disfigure

• configure
• prefigure
• figure
• reconfigure

Kids Definition

disfigure

verb

dis·​fig·​ure dis-ˈfig-yər 

 especially British  -ˈfig-ər

: to spoil the appearance of

disfigured by a scar

disfigurement

-mənt 

noun