as in defacers
a person who damages or destroys property on purpose
a group of vandals broke into the school and painted graffiti on the walls
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Recent Examples of vandals
The vandals came at night Tarring the asphalt with the coward’s color.
—
Ken Burns, The Atlantic, 28 Dec. 2025
His paintings and installations sell for millions of dollars at auction and have drawn thieves and vandals.
—CBS News, 22 Dec. 2025
The original gym closed in 2006 as the city of Detroit struggled to maintain its recreation centers and vandals ripped out the building's wiring and copper pipes.
—Jc Reindl, Freep.com, 10 Dec. 2025
The property has experienced severe damage from frequent break-ins, fires and vandals, Sean Pickett, representative for Robeson Holding, told the city’s historic preservation commission on Friday.
—Chris Higgins, Kansas City Star, 25 Nov. 2025
Many vandals who damage public lands are never caught.
—Owen Clarke, Outside, 20 Nov. 2025
The study also left out instances where vandals damaged Tesla vehicles and charging stations.
—NPR, 25 Oct. 2025
There was one instance of vandals toppling monuments.
—Chris Kenning, USA Today, 25 Oct. 2025
The protests stretched beyond India’s borders, too, with London’s Asia House controversially canceling an exhibition of Husain’s work in 2006, citing security concerns, after Hindu groups demanded its closure and vandals defaced two of his paintings.
—Oscar Holland, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2025
Ken Burns, The Atlantic, 28 Dec. 2025
His paintings and installations sell for millions of dollars at auction and have drawn thieves and vandals.
—CBS News, 22 Dec. 2025
The original gym closed in 2006 as the city of Detroit struggled to maintain its recreation centers and vandals ripped out the building's wiring and copper pipes.
—Jc Reindl, Freep.com, 10 Dec. 2025
The property has experienced severe damage from frequent break-ins, fires and vandals, Sean Pickett, representative for Robeson Holding, told the city’s historic preservation commission on Friday.
—Chris Higgins, Kansas City Star, 25 Nov. 2025
Many vandals who damage public lands are never caught.
—Owen Clarke, Outside, 20 Nov. 2025
The study also left out instances where vandals damaged Tesla vehicles and charging stations.
—NPR, 25 Oct. 2025
There was one instance of vandals toppling monuments.
—Chris Kenning, USA Today, 25 Oct. 2025
The protests stretched beyond India’s borders, too, with London’s Asia House controversially canceling an exhibition of Husain’s work in 2006, citing security concerns, after Hindu groups demanded its closure and vandals defaced two of his paintings.
—Oscar Holland, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Vandals.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vandals. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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