deface 1 of 2

verb

di-ˈfās How to pronounce deface (audio)
Definition of defacenext
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

defacement

2 of 2

noun

as in vandalism
deliberate damaging or destroying of another's property the defacement of the school's property ended up costing hundreds of dollars

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of deface
Verb
That was the last time the sign was defaced. — Sara Tenenbaum, CBS News, 12 June 2026 The cemetery, created in 1859, was abandoned and defaced before becoming the property of the county in 1967. — Marla Jo Fisher, Oc Register, 4 June 2026
Noun
This can include denial-of-service attacks, in which hackers try to jam a network so legitimate users cannot use it, and website defacements, which can prevent a company from communicating with customers. — ABC News, 12 Mar. 2026 The defacements concerned city officials enough that Los Angeles Metro buses with Melania ads have been routed from some neighborhoods into other, presumably Melania-friendlier zones. — Eve Batey, Vanity Fair, 31 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for deface
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deface
  1. vandalize
  2. injure
  3. destroy
  4. damage
  5. demolish
  6. mar
  7. ruin
  8. cripple
Verb
  • Statues of controversial figures were vandalized and taken down, with more than 160 Confederate works removed from public spaces in 2020.
    — Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2026
  • My neighbor’s child recently vandalized my fence and got caught lying about it.
    — Harriette Cole, Mercury News, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of vandalize
Verb
  • Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia of using North Korean ballistic missiles in its attacks, as another night of bombardment killed at least nine civilians and injured dozens of others.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Chamapuro added that one person in the community was injured, and called on authorities to send food and medicine.
    — Sana Noor Haq, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of injure
Verb
  • Vendors said enforcement sweeps that began earlier this year have threatened their livelihoods, with authorities confiscating vending equipment and, in some cases, destroying it.
    — Da Lin, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026
  • One of those, the USS Gerald R Ford, also reported problems earlier this year, from toilets that weren’t working to a laundry fire that briefly stopped combat operations and destroyed some sleeping quarters.
    — Mustafa Qadri, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of destroy
Verb
  • But trying to get tanner through more UV light exposure can bring lot of dark, dark risks—such as damaging your skin and in the process raising your risk of skin cancer.
    — Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2026
  • Both human and animal studies found the chemicals damage the ability of mitochondria to make adenosine triphosphate, or ATP.
    — Sandee LaMotte, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of damage
Verb
  • The only option to build the facility was to demolish the Trojans’ longtime baseball field and displace the program for multiple seasons.
    — Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 7 Aug. 2026
  • What else might be demolished in Crown Center for the ballpark district remains unclear.
    — Dylan Lysen, Kansas City Star, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of demolish
Verb
  • Just a week after heat and severe storms marred July Fourth celebrations, a heat dome trapped more of the country under relentless warmth and humidity.
    — Kiki Intarasuwan, CBS News, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Following a 2024 general election marred by allegations of widespread vote-rigging, the government led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has struggled to build momentum.
    — Hasan Ali, Christian Science Monitor, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of mar
Verb
  • Campione said her campaign was focused on protecting rural lands from being annexed into cities for rural subdivisions and stopping activities that could ruin water quality or override property rights.
    — James Wilkins, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 Aug. 2026
  • But the mellow vibes are ruined when a goofy case of mistaken identity results in Frankie coming home with a briefcase containing several vials of a glowing orange goo.
    — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of ruin
Verb
  • Strikes over unpaid salaries, violent attacks on clinics and public mistrust fueled by misinformation are crippling fragile response efforts, as workers like Bondele keep showing up.
    — Prosper Heri Ngorora, Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Over the years this bag has crippled numerous hotel bellmen attempting to lift it.
    — John Ficarra, New York Daily News, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of cripple

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Cite this Entry

“Deface.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deface. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of deface for Spanish Speakers

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