1
as in to vandalize
to deliberately cause the damage or destruction of another's property
the principal vowed to get the punks who defaced the statue in front of the school
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to injure
to reduce the soundness, effectiveness, or perfection of
years of wear had defaced the fine engraving on the coins
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in vandalism
deliberate damaging or destroying of another's property
the defacement of the school's property ended up costing hundreds of dollars
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of deface
Stephen Sorace , Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 28 Jan. 2026
Anyone convicted of defacing certain sensitive surfaces, such as petroglyphs or rock art, faces steeper penalties.
—Outside, 27 Jan. 2026
Gabriele Regalbuto, FOXNews.com, 6 Nov. 2025
After a while, sticky notes appear, written by someone else who’s not exactly pleased about the doodler’s defacement of the only astronomy reference work in the school library.
—Caroline Carlson, Literary Hub, 3 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for deface
Verb
Vandals defaced a boulder and other sites at Yosemite National Park with graffiti over the weekend.
—Stephen Sorace , Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 28 Jan. 2026
Anyone convicted of defacing certain sensitive surfaces, such as petroglyphs or rock art, faces steeper penalties.
—Outside, 27 Jan. 2026
Noun
Palombo learned of the complete defacement through private messages on his social media channels.
—Gabriele Regalbuto, FOXNews.com, 6 Nov. 2025
After a while, sticky notes appear, written by someone else who’s not exactly pleased about the doodler’s defacement of the only astronomy reference work in the school library.
—Caroline Carlson, Literary Hub, 3 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for deface
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deface
Verb
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At a council meeting last month, a business owner told Hanceville’s leaders her laundromat had been burglarized and vandalized several times in the past year.—
Rob Picheta,
CNN Money,
7 Feb. 2026
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Earlier this week, one of the few remaining sports facilities available to children in the country was vandalized and partially burned by criminal gangs.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The policies cover fires but not common perils such as water damage or liability if someone is injured on a property.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Feb. 2026
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One person was injured Monday evening after a vehicle crashed into a business in Kansas City’s Crossroads Arts District.—
Caroline Zimmerman,
Kansas City Star,
3 Feb. 2026
Noun
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At least four suspects were detained for vandalizing property in the area and will be charged with felony vandalism, according to the LAPD.—
Alexandra Koch,
FOXNews.com,
5 Feb. 2026
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As restoration work gets underway on an East Side mural defaced with spray paint, organizers say the vandalism has only motivated them to stand up stronger for victims of police violence.—
Annasofia Scheve,
San Antonio Express-News,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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More than 12,000 scrolls were once stored inside this second-century center of learning before a fire destroyed them in 262 CE.—
Maureen O'Hare,
CNN Money,
9 Feb. 2026
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Feeling bored, resentful and trapped by domestic life, Hedda hatches a plan to destroy her husband’s potential career rival, Eilert Lovberg, who happens to be her ex-lover.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
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In some cases, UNIFIL vehicles were damaged.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
8 Feb. 2026
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During media interviews after Sunday’s win, Johnson revealed that her gold medal was already damaged.—
Rachel Roberts,
Idaho Statesman,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Police said officers from the 116th Precinct had been alerted to the vandalization in the neighborhood and found 11 different police vehicles, both marked and unmarked, with damage.—
Stephen Sorace,
FOXNews.com,
13 Nov. 2025
Verb
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That is a very expensive building to demolish.—
Seth Abramovitch,
HollywoodReporter,
6 Feb. 2026
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Damaged beyond repair, the building was permanently closed and later demolished.—
Susannah Bryan,
Sun Sentinel,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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In fact, Nanos' last election was marred by controversy.—
Peter D'Abrosca,
FOXNews.com,
5 Feb. 2026
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However, Machado seems to have regrouped following the elbow surgery that marred the end of his 2023 season and slowed him to start 2024.—
Jeff Sanders,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Deface.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deface. Accessed 11 Feb. 2026.
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