as in vandalism
deliberate damaging or destroying of another's property
the neo-Nazis' defacing of the synagogue was condemned by the entire community
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in vandalizing
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in marring
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
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defacing
Noun
-
On Monday, the Los Angeles Police Department responded to a report of vandalism near Franklin and Orchid avenues in Hollywood at around 11:50 p.m., according to Officer Jeff Lee.—
Summer Lin,
Los Angeles Times,
24 June 2025 -
That followed over a week of sometimes-violent clashes between protesters and police and outbreaks of vandalism and looting that followed immigration raids across Southern California.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
22 June 2025
Verb
-
Image Since then, mobs have arrived in neighborhoods where Hindus live, vandalizing temples and targeting homes.—
Saif Hasnat,
New York Times,
24 Dec. 2024
-
Some of the kids quickly get up to no good, vandalizing the graves of the Duttons.—
Matt Cabral,
EW.com,
16 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
But if enacted, some of the ideas proposed also risk destroying a nascent private sector and worsening the country’s ongoing humanitarian crisis.—
Nora Gámez Torres,
Miami Herald,
10 Apr. 2025
-
Online records show that Lamb was charged with homicide, kidnap-false imprisonment, evidence-destroying and procure for prostitute.—
Adam Sabes,
FOXNews.com,
10 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Leave the innocents, the children, the ones who just want to live a simple life, out of the bombing and destruction.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
25 June 2025
-
The result of these and other assaults, wrote Jed Kolko, a former undersecretary for economic affairs at the Commerce Department overseeing data operations at the Census Bureau and BEA, will include the destruction of trust in U.S. economic data.—
Michael Hiltzik,
Los Angeles Times,
24 June 2025
Verb
-
Since March 14, severe weather has left a trail of destruction, toppling trees, demolishing homes, and igniting wildfires, the Associated Press reported.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
21 Mar. 2025
-
By 2006, Alcatel-Lucent, the building’s owner at the time, was considering demolishing the property.—
Celia Fernandez,Raffi Paul,
CNBC,
20 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Authorities accused an Arlington Heights man of hitting and injuring a Chicago Police officer while driving under the influence Sunday on the West side, according to a news release.—
Caroline Kubzansky,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Mar. 2025
-
They two men are also charged with injuring another person, according to Patch.—
Joseph Wilkinson,
New York Daily News,
10 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
For example, Netflix uses it to deliver seamless streaming to millions, scaling efficiently without compromising speed.—
Jyothish R,
Forbes,
27 Dec. 2024
-
Now, as Teddy barrels ahead with a Senate campaign, they are targeted by an anonymous leaker showing them in compromising positions.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
26 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
Some in Biden's family have been shocked by the number of Democrats trashing his Hunter decision on the record, sources tell us.—
Axios,
Axios,
5 Dec. 2024
-
The hotel alleged that Payne was intoxicated on drugs and alcohol, and had been trashing his room at the time of the disturbance.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
17 Oct. 2024
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.
Cite this Entry
“Defacing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defacing. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share