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
Earlier Monday, four students were arrested and cited with felony vandalism while attempting to hang a large insect made out of cardboard on Sather Gate.
—
Sacbee.com, 11 Nov. 2025
Four decades later, despite a handful of mostly minor injuries (the Hill’s angle of incline is more than thirty degrees), a few instances of vandalism, and our fair share of brutal losses (some years more than others), the tradition endures.
—Elizabeth Hutchison Hicklin, Southern Living, 8 Nov. 2025
The shutdown started on October 1, and in the days afterward, multiple former NPS officials asked the government to close the parks to avoid vandalism and damage.
—Frederick Dreier, Outside, 7 Nov. 2025
Angela Rollins, 62, was booked into the Marin County Jail on suspicion of cruelty to an animal, vandalism, burglary and battery.
—Cameron MacDonald, Mercury News, 6 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for vandalism
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Sacbee.com, 11 Nov. 2025
Four decades later, despite a handful of mostly minor injuries (the Hill’s angle of incline is more than thirty degrees), a few instances of vandalism, and our fair share of brutal losses (some years more than others), the tradition endures.
—Elizabeth Hutchison Hicklin, Southern Living, 8 Nov. 2025
The shutdown started on October 1, and in the days afterward, multiple former NPS officials asked the government to close the parks to avoid vandalism and damage.
—Frederick Dreier, Outside, 7 Nov. 2025
Angela Rollins, 62, was booked into the Marin County Jail on suspicion of cruelty to an animal, vandalism, burglary and battery.
—Cameron MacDonald, Mercury News, 6 Nov. 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 23 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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