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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of deface
Trump upon taking office pardoned people convicted in connection with the Jan. 6 insurrection, many of whom had pleaded guilty or been convicted or defacing or damaging the Capitol, which itself is a National Historic Landmark and contains multiple statues and other displays.
—
Trevor Hughes, USA TODAY, 7 Feb. 2025
In May, for example, a Brooklyn man was charged with attempting to run down a group of Orthodox Jews with his car; only two weeks later, someone defaced the façade of Park Avenue Synagogue on East 87th Street with pro-Palestinian graffiti.
—Larry Luxner, Sun Sentinel, 30 Jan. 2025
The police interaction took place one day after the doors to City Hall and a statue of the late Mayor Richard Gordon Hatcher were defaced with white spray paint.
—Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 28 Jan. 2025
Another mystery: After Hatshepsut’s death around 1458 B.C.E., many of her monuments and statues were destroyed or defaced.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for deface
Trevor Hughes, USA TODAY, 7 Feb. 2025
In May, for example, a Brooklyn man was charged with attempting to run down a group of Orthodox Jews with his car; only two weeks later, someone defaced the façade of Park Avenue Synagogue on East 87th Street with pro-Palestinian graffiti.
—Larry Luxner, Sun Sentinel, 30 Jan. 2025
The police interaction took place one day after the doors to City Hall and a statue of the late Mayor Richard Gordon Hatcher were defaced with white spray paint.
—Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 28 Jan. 2025
Another mystery: After Hatshepsut’s death around 1458 B.C.E., many of her monuments and statues were destroyed or defaced.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for deface
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deface
Verb
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Social media is rife with images of the distinctive vehicles vandalized with swastikas, with one recently spotted in Lower Manhattan.—
Ross Rosenfeld,
Newsweek,
26 Feb. 2025
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This comes after the white nationalist group vandalized the church in December 2020 during a pro-Trump rally.—
Oumou Fofana,
Essence,
7 Feb. 2025
Verb
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In addition to the two people killed, 10 people were injured, five seriously, Mannheim police said in a statement.—
David Brennan,
ABC News,
3 Mar. 2025
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Pimenov’s girlfriend was critically injured in the strike and remains in hospital, the report said.—
Ivana Kottasová,
CNN,
3 Mar. 2025
Verb
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This is a major U-turn from Riot, after completely revamping the rewards system at the start of the year and being destroyed by fans for it.—
Mike Stubbs,
Forbes,
4 Mar. 2025
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Lost in a sea of ash: When wildfire destroys a home — and a loved one’s urn — the search begins.—
Ryan Fonseca,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Displays of authenticity, executed improperly, can damage reputations and even derail careers.—
Harrison Monarth,
Forbes,
5 Mar. 2025
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Moon dust plagued astronauts and spacecraft during NASA’s Apollo program in the mid-20th century, as the fine and abrasive material damaged camera lenses and visors, according to NASA.—
Jackie Wattles,
CNN,
5 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Many have long since been demolished or altered beyond recognition, but some of the most beautiful have miraculously kept their original structures and decoration intact.—
The New York Times,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 Mar. 2025
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Some residential buildings have been demolished; a hole is punched into the side of a mosque; chunks of broken concrete now bare the inside of someone’s home to the outside world.—
Jeremy Diamond,
CNN,
28 Feb. 2025
Verb
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His final season was marred by a shoulder injury and insufficient QB play, but Loveland still led the Wolverines in receptions (56), receiving yards (582) and receiving TDs (five).—
Eddie Brown,
The Mercury News,
27 Feb. 2025
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The election took place seven months earlier than originally planned after Scholz’s unpopular coalition collapsed in November, three years into a term that was increasingly marred by infighting.—
Vanessa Gera,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Sometimes, one bad person or a few bad people can ruin things for everybody.—
David Faris,
Newsweek,
27 Feb. 2025
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The floods were also a disaster for businesses that lost valuable stock, like a local bookstore which saw $25,000 worth of books ruined, the BBC reported.—
Simon Perry,
People.com,
26 Feb. 2025
Verb
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About six weeks ago, hackers crippled the computer systems of the TV and mobile phone provider Dish Network.—
Shira Ovide,
Washington Post,
4 Apr. 2023
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Oakland Mills Coach: Chris Brewington Last season: Class 2A state champion Outlook: Losing the talent Oakland Mills did from last year’s outdoor season would cripple most programs, but the Scorpions have reloaded.—
Anthony Maluso,
Baltimore Sun,
22 Mar. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Deface.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deface. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
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