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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of deface
Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 23 June 2025
Two of the pistols, a Glock 9mm pistol and the Colt .380 pistol, allegedly had defaced serial number, the bureau said.
—Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald, 12 June 2025
Austin police used pepper spray balls and state police used tear gas when demonstrators began trying to deface the federal building with spray paint.
—Greg Norman, FOXNews.com, 11 June 2025
The Trump administration's crackdown on immigration enforcement spurred protests in Los Angeles, in which some demonstrators 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, 10 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for deface
Verb
Law enforcement witnesses have testified about copious quantities of baby oil, Astroglide and drugs recovered from Combs’ lavish properties and hotel rooms, in addition to defaced semiautomatic weapons and ammunition.
—Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 23 June 2025
Two of the pistols, a Glock 9mm pistol and the Colt .380 pistol, allegedly had defaced serial number, the bureau said.
—Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald, 12 June 2025
Austin police used pepper spray balls and state police used tear gas when demonstrators began trying to deface the federal building with spray paint.
—Greg Norman, FOXNews.com, 11 June 2025
The Trump administration's crackdown on immigration enforcement spurred protests in Los Angeles, in which some demonstrators 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, 10 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for deface
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deface
Verb
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Sixty-six shops and 25 vehicles were vandalized, and some supermarkets and warehouses looted, a presidential statement said.—
Louis Casiano,
FOXNews.com,
30 July 2025
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All of the buildings vandalized, except for Villanueva’s office, are near West Cermak Road and South Washtenaw Avenue.—
Caroline Kubzansky,
Chicago Tribune,
29 July 2025
Verb
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Shooting comes 3 years after another incident The July 25 shooting comes less than three years after another fatal attack at a University of New Mexico housing building left one student dead and three campus visitors injured.—
Karissa Waddick,
USA Today,
25 July 2025
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The boyfriend and dog weren’t injured in the attack.—
Garfield Hylton,
The Orlando Sentinel,
24 July 2025
Noun
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After the May vandalism arrest, ICE attempted to detain him once again.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
31 July 2025
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The recent vandalism reports have left some worried and frustrated -- but not entirely surprised.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
27 July 2025
Verb
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In return, he was allowed to effectively destroy a nature site of great conservation value.—
Kim Hjelmgaard,
USA Today,
26 July 2025
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Trump also is destroying the Games’ potential upside.—
Joe Mathews,
Mercury News,
25 July 2025
Verb
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Anything that damages the trust between the vendor, Microsoft, and the user is as much a threat as the hackers themselves, in my never humble opinion.—
Davey Winder,
Forbes.com,
14 July 2025
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Driving through deep water can also damage a vehicle's mechanical and electrical systems.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
14 July 2025
Verb
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The kids division, ages 5 to 11, was tasked with demolishing a singular slice, or one-fourth, of an entire pie.—
Olivia Cyrus
July 23,
Sacbee.com,
24 July 2025
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That includes plans to demolish the building this summer.—
Tom Daykin,
jsonline.com,
23 July 2025
Verb
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During questioning at the Austin Police Department, Mejia marred her credibility and inadvertently presented herself as a compulsive liar by initially telling police different stories about how Casiano was burned.—
Bianca Moreno-Paz,
Austin American Statesman,
30 July 2025
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Processing The Hulkster’s legacy in real-time is tough — not just because of his greatness, but because of the blemishes that marred his career inside and outside the ring.—
Carl Lamarre,
Billboard,
24 July 2025
Verb
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However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
1 Aug. 2025
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Freezing her eggs was a priority because chemotherapy could ruin her chances of fertility and natural birth.—
David Oliver,
USA Today,
31 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Deface.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deface. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
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