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
Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 1 Mar. 2026
This exclusion protects the home warranty company from homeowners who may try to get replacements for appliances or home system components by defacing or damaging them purposefully.
—Dan Simms, USA Today, 23 Feb. 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
This was not one website defaced for headlines.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 1 Mar. 2026
This exclusion protects the home warranty company from homeowners who may try to get replacements for appliances or home system components by defacing or damaging them purposefully.
—Dan Simms, USA Today, 23 Feb. 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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Sandoval asked the community not to vandalize those structures or vehicles out of disappointment or anger.—
Brian Sherrod,
CBS News,
19 Mar. 2026
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Baumann testified that Evetts joined him in vandalizing the vehicles parked in the facility’s adjacent lot and breaking a surveillance camera.—
Mia Cathell,
The Washington Examiner,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
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As the current supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has stayed out of the spotlight amid speculation he was injured by a strike, Larijani was largely seen as in command of the country since the former ayatollah’s death.—
Molly Parks,
The Washington Examiner,
18 Mar. 2026
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Separately, Tehran also fired a projectile near an Australian airbase in the United Arab Emirates, according to Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese — no personnel were injured.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
18 Mar. 2026
Noun
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In recent years, some pregnancy centers have been targeted with vandalism and threats.—
Jazmin Orozco Rodriguez,
NPR,
18 Mar. 2026
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Friends of Tandy Hill, a group that works to protect the 220-acre native prairie in Fort Worth from ongoing issues like misuse and vandalism, has met with the city three times about this issue in the past year, said Don Young, the group’s founder and president.—
Samuel O’Neal
March 17,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Weeks later, his father was killed in a fire that destroyed the home Hamlin purchased to thank his parents for getting him into NASCAR.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
16 Mar. 2026
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Saudi Arabia’s Defense Ministry said its systems intercepted and destroyed 10 drones over the capital, Riyadh, and the kingdom’s eastern region.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma, issued an Enhanced to Moderate Risk of Severe Weather on Monday, which includes dangerous thunderstorms, damaging winds, and the possibility of a few strong tornadoes.—
Adam Thompson,
CBS News,
16 Mar. 2026
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Frost and freeze conditions will damage unprotected vegetation that is sensitive to freezing temperatures.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
16 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Riverside has both a community center named for Chavez and a bronze statue — often the target of vandalization — on the Main Street pedestrian mall in the city’s downtown.—
Ryan Carter,
Daily News,
19 Mar. 2026
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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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The 39-year-old photographer from Beirut captured a stunning sequence of images in the early hours of Wednesday, showing an IDF missile demolishing a tower block in one fell swoop.—
Raf Sanchez,
NBC news,
19 Mar. 2026
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With the convention center demolished for renovations, festivalgoers moving between key areas like Rainey Street and Congress Avenue felt the city’s transportation gaps more acutely.—
Karoline Leonard,
Austin American Statesman,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
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However, an earnestness mars most of the proceedings.—
Murtada Elfadl,
Variety,
20 Mar. 2026
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Jimmy Carter Carter's presidency was marred by domestic and foreign-policy challenges.—
Domenico Montanaro,
NPR,
19 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Deface.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deface. Accessed 22 Mar. 2026.
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