deface

verb

de·​face di-ˈfās 

dē-

defaced; defacing; defaces

transitive verb

1

: to mar the appearance of : injure by effacing significant details

deface an inscription

2

: impair

3

obsolete : destroy

defacement

di-ˈfās-mənt 

dē-

noun

defacer noun

Synonyms of deface

• vandalize
• destroy
• demolish
• ruin
• smash
• violate

Examples of deface in a Sentence

The building was defaced with graffiti.

He was fined for defacing public property.

Recent Examples on the Web

In Australia, synagogues were firebombed, cars torched and Jewish community buildings defaced – the types of attacks recently seen in the United Kingdom that have prompted calls for a crackdown on antisemitism. —Cnn.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 25 Apr. 2026

No one in Florida had been charged with criminal mischief for defacing a traffic control device until the August arrests. —Cristóbal Reyes, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 Apr. 2026

But then on Christmas Day of that year, Roonstrasse was defaced with antisemitic graffiti. —Daniela R. P. Weiner, The Conversation, 17 Apr. 2026

Another admonishes participants not to urinate in the street, start fights, block streets, climb on cars or deface property — all things that have been problems some years. —Larry Neumeister, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French *desfacer, *deffacer, from des- de- + face front, face

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for deface

• abase
• airspace
• apace
• backspace
• biface
• birthplace
• blackface
• boldface
• bookcase
• braincase
• briefcase
• carcase

Kids Definition

deface

verb

de·​face di-ˈfās 

: to destroy or damage the face or surface of

defacement

-ˈfās-mənt 

noun

defacer noun

Legal Definition

deface

transitive verb

de·​face di-ˈfās 

defaced; defacing

: to destroy or mar the face or surface of

defacement noun

defacer noun