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
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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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of defacing
John Toher, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Sep. 2025
In 2010, a man was sentenced to 15 months in prison and fined $10,000 for intentionally defacing carvings at Lake Mead, according to the city.
—Hannah Dreyfus, AZCentral.com, 15 Sep. 2025
Verb
If a student or college employee is found defacing or otherwise vandalizing the commemoration, the bill requires the institution to expel or fire them.
—John Toher, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Sep. 2025
In 2010, a man was sentenced to 15 months in prison and fined $10,000 for intentionally defacing carvings at Lake Mead, according to the city.
—Hannah Dreyfus, AZCentral.com, 15 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defacing
Noun
-
The National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) has also called for parks to be closed, citing past problems during government shutdowns that led to vandalism, sanitation issues and ecological harm.—
Alana Wise,
NPR,
4 Oct. 2025
-
Firefighters initially took a defensive stance, fighting the blaze from the outside the building to stop its spread, before knocking down the flames enough for crews to enter the business, which had its windows boarded up because of vandalism earlier in the week.—
Darrell Smith,
Sacbee.com,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
If a student or college employee is found defacing or otherwise vandalizing the commemoration, the bill requires the institution to expel or fire them.—
John Toher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Sep. 2025
-
British authorities have had their eyes on the group since 2020, but its June 2025 action – when activists broke into Britain’s largest airbase, RAF Brize Norton, vandalizing two Airbus Voyager refueling planes – led to its proscription.—
Max Saltman,
CNN Money,
18 Sep. 2025
Verb
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An optional front rack on both models adds instant utility without marring the retro-fantastic looks.—
William Roberson,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
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Boston comes in with three straight losses marring otherwise agreeable vibes.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
21 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Since then, the Internet has gone about its immemorial business of destroying all incumbent forms of media; not content with vampirizing print, the digital space began sucking the life from pay-TV a dozen years ago.—
Anthony Crupi,
Sportico.com,
3 Oct. 2025
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Critics say returning the company without meaningful payment undercuts accountability and the compensatory purpose of the judgments; others note trustees and Judge Lopez have to avoid value-destroying, prolonged processes.—
Robert Alexander,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Lifting them out of the ground requires some gentleness to avoid damaging them.—
Megan Hughes,
Better Homes & Gardens,
3 Oct. 2025
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Always dilute apple cider vinegar with water and drink through a straw to avoid damaging tooth enamel and irritating the esophagus.—
Maggie O'Neill,
Verywell Health,
2 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The Wildcats hold a 10-8 edge over the Horned Frogs in their all-time series, including a 41-3 destruction of TCU in 2023 at Manhattan in the teams’ last meeting.—
Jim Barnes,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
29 Sep. 2025
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Cyrus — who married Hemsworth, 35, the following month after the destruction, before later separating in August 2019 — was left to grieve the many memories that were lost.—
Desiree Anello,
PEOPLE,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Tens of thousands have been fleeing the city, which has seen Israel demolishing high-rise buildings.—
Caitlin Danaher,
CNN Money,
20 Sep. 2025
-
Preservationists stepped in to keep the company from its standard practice of demolishing a vacant building.—
Cheryl V. Jackson,
IndyStar,
18 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The Family Dollar store in the 3700 block of Broadway Boulevard partially collapsed July 27, killing one man and injuring others.—
Noelle Alviz-Gransee,
Kansas City Star,
29 Sep. 2025
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This season, Lewis didn’t even make it to the opener, injuring his right hamstring late in spring training.—
Dan Hayes,
New York Times,
29 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Defacing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defacing. Accessed 5 Oct. 2025.
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