vandalism
noun
van·dal·ism
ˈvan-də-ˌli-zəm 
: willful or malicious destruction or defacement of public or private property
Examples of vandalism in a Sentence
acts of theft and vandalism
He was arrested for vandalism.
Recent Examples on the Web
Nigeria is Africa’s largest oil producer and has historically held great interest for foreign investors in the sector, despite teething problems of vandalism and violence that have turned some international oil companies away in recent years.
—
Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 29 Oct. 2025
The thefts come amid a rash of anti-LGBTQ+ vandalism and thefts.
—Samantha Riedel, Them., 29 Oct. 2025
The site is supported by the nonprofit Wikimedia Foundation, which employs automated bots and human moderators to prevent vandalism, resolve disputes, and ensure content follows a core set of policies, like maintaining a neutral point of view and providing verifiable sources for information.
—Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 28 Oct. 2025
The vandalism occurred on June 19, 2020, also known as Juneteenth, the day that recognizes the end of slavery in the United States.
—Michael Dorgan, FOXNews.com, 28 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for vandalism
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Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 29 Oct. 2025
The thefts come amid a rash of anti-LGBTQ+ vandalism and thefts.
—Samantha Riedel, Them., 29 Oct. 2025
The site is supported by the nonprofit Wikimedia Foundation, which employs automated bots and human moderators to prevent vandalism, resolve disputes, and ensure content follows a core set of policies, like maintaining a neutral point of view and providing verifiable sources for information.
—Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 28 Oct. 2025
The vandalism occurred on June 19, 2020, also known as Juneteenth, the day that recognizes the end of slavery in the United States.
—Michael Dorgan, FOXNews.com, 28 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for vandalism
Cite this Entry
“Vandalism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vandalism. Accessed 2 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
vandalism
noun
van·dal·ism
ˈvan-dᵊl-ˌiz-əm
: intentional destruction or damage to property
Legal Definition
vandalism
noun
van·dal·ism
ˈvand-ᵊl-ˌi-zəm
: the willful or malicious destruction or defacement of property
insurance covering property damage from vandalism and malicious mischief
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