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
Rong-Gong Lin Ii, Los Angeles Times, 18 June 2025
More a dozen people were charged or cited for defacing public property including squad cars and CTA buses, police said.
—Caroline Kubzansky, Chicago Tribune, 12 June 2025
Murals of baseball legends Minnie Miñoso, second from left, and Jackie Robinson, third from left, are covered with plywood after being defaced in Miami's Overtown neighborhood, Thursday, June 5, 2025, in Miami.
—CBS News, 12 June 2025
Some protesters hurled large chunks of broken concrete at officers, slashed tires and defaced buildings, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
—Sudiksha Kochi, USA Today, 9 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for deface
Verb
San Francisco police have arrested a man accused of defacing the famed Pink Triangle, a symbol of LGBTQ+ rights that is installed annually during Pride Month on top of the city’s landmark Twin Peaks.
—Rong-Gong Lin Ii, Los Angeles Times, 18 June 2025
More a dozen people were charged or cited for defacing public property including squad cars and CTA buses, police said.
—Caroline Kubzansky, Chicago Tribune, 12 June 2025
Murals of baseball legends Minnie Miñoso, second from left, and Jackie Robinson, third from left, are covered with plywood after being defaced in Miami's Overtown neighborhood, Thursday, June 5, 2025, in Miami.
—CBS News, 12 June 2025
Some protesters hurled large chunks of broken concrete at officers, slashed tires and defaced buildings, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
—Sudiksha Kochi, USA Today, 9 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for deface
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deface
Verb
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The Shawnee Park basketball court, home to the Dirt Bowl tournament, was vandalized on July 9.—
Leo Bertucci,
The Courier-Journal,
10 July 2025
-
The residences of several University of Wisconsin Board of Regents members were vandalized with pro-Palestinian messages overnight on July 3, according to interviews and photos provided to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.—
Kelly Meyerhofer,
jsonline.com,
9 July 2025
Verb
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At least 968 civilians were killed and over 4,800 injured.—
Katya Soldak,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
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Clark has been injured and has struggled lately, going just 13-of-47 from three-point territory in her last three games and missing six of the Indiana Fever's 16 games this season.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
1 July 2025
Noun
-
June 27 Assault, battery, false imprisonment, vandalism, resist/delay peace officer: At 6:36 p.m., deputies responded to a disturbance at a residence in the 13000 block of Shadow Oaks Way.—
Anne Gelhaus,
Mercury News,
6 July 2025
-
Or will the line be drawn at accusations of vandalism and murdered chickens?—
Mike Hendricks
July 6,
Kansas City Star,
6 July 2025
Verb
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In September 2024, the same month as the pager attack and assassination of Hezbollah’s leader, Israel launched the most extensive campaign of airstrikes in the air force’s history hitherto, destroying much of Hezbollah’s strategic surface-to-surface missile stockpiles.—
Paul Iddon,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
-
This is the signature style of Russian killers — to destroy life by all methods at their disposal.—
Anders Hagstrom,
FOXNews.com,
30 June 2025
Verb
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But opponents contend that industrial animal agriculture actually jeopardizes food security, by damaging local ecosystems, undermining traditional agricultural practices, and intensifying climate harms.—
Christine Ro,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
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Don't use harsh cleaners, which can damage the grates.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
1 July 2025
Verb
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Hegseth touted Caine's explanation as proof the bombs fully demolished Fordow.—
Cybele Mayes-Osterman,
USA Today,
27 June 2025
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The more than 115-year-old Advocate Trinity building on the Southeast Side of Chicago, on 93rd Street, will continue to serve patients until the new hospital is ready, at which point it will be demolished.—
Lisa Schencker,
Chicago Tribune,
24 June 2025
Verb
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The last weekend of June in Indianapolis was marred by a rash of shootings that left seven dead and nine others injured.—
Noe Padilla,
IndyStar,
30 June 2025
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The Mets go the way of Francisco Lindor, and he’s been marred in his own slump this month.—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
30 June 2025
Verb
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The ceiling was now on the floor, the world had turned itself upside down, her outfit and her day and her rug were seemingly ruined—and yet she herself was not hurt.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 July 2025
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However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.—
Olivia Lloyd
July 9,
Miami Herald,
9 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Deface.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deface. Accessed 14 Jul. 2025.
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