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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of deface
Another admonishes participants not to urinate in the street, start fights, block streets, climb on cars or deface property — all things that have been problems some years.
—
Larry Neumeister, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2026
One very analog cost robotics companies are now dealing with as their products proliferate in the wild is repair fees for robots who have been kicked, ridden on, or otherwise defaced, Serve Robotics CEO Ali Kashani tells Semafor.
—Rachyl Jones, semafor.com, 1 Apr. 2026
But his image had been defaced with black permanent marker, giving him an impressive handlebar mustache and large glasses with what appears to be eyelashes growing out from them.
—Rachael O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
An inflatable effigy depicting Trump defacing the Constitution made its way through the crowd.
—Nik Popli, Time, 28 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for deface
Larry Neumeister, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2026
One very analog cost robotics companies are now dealing with as their products proliferate in the wild is repair fees for robots who have been kicked, ridden on, or otherwise defaced, Serve Robotics CEO Ali Kashani tells Semafor.
—Rachyl Jones, semafor.com, 1 Apr. 2026
But his image had been defaced with black permanent marker, giving him an impressive handlebar mustache and large glasses with what appears to be eyelashes growing out from them.
—Rachael O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
An inflatable effigy depicting Trump defacing the Constitution made its way through the crowd.
—Nik Popli, Time, 28 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for deface
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deface
Verb
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Meanwhile, anyone who may have had their vehicle vandalized is urged to call Santa Rosa Police at 707-528-5222, referencing case number 26-4334.—
Tim Fang,
CBS News,
28 Apr. 2026
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Debel is the same village where an Israeli soldier was photographed vandalizing a statue of Jesus Christ earlier this month, causing international outrage.—
Max Saltman,
CNN Money,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Police said the driver of the SUV was not injured and is cooperating with investigators.—
Shambhavi Rimal,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
28 Apr. 2026
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Joshua Jahn, 29, killed a detainee, injured two others and fatally shot himself.—
Michael Ruiz,
FOXNews.com,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Thankfully, the Dark Sky movement is growing as more people become aware of the issue and learn about simple and cost-effective ways that can be embraced to reverse the course of destroying our night skies.—
Ernie Cowan,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
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Radioactive clouds spread, causing panic as far away as Germany and Britain; millions of litres of milk were dumped; livestock was destroyed or banned from sale.—
The Week UK,
TheWeek,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Driving through deep water can also damage a vehicle's mechanical and electrical systems.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
26 Apr. 2026
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Data from the German Aerospace Center, which analyzes global development, cross-referenced with images from ICEYE and Vantor show that buildings making up the peripheries of the cities damaged by this year’s fires mostly sprang up in the 2000s and 2010s.—
Stefano Pozzebon,
CNN Money,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The Browns will pay for their current home to be demolished after the 2028 season, which will make way for lakefront development.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
1 May 2026
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Trump has overseen dramatic cosmetic changes on the White House grounds during his second term, including paving over the grassy line of the famous Rose Garden and demolishing the White House's East Wing to make way for a massive ballroom.—
Joey Garrison,
USA Today,
1 May 2026
Verb
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That project was marred by a labor investigation, which BYD and its contractors settled late last year.—
Simone McCarthy,
CNN Money,
1 May 2026
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May Day rallies in Turkey are frequently marred by clashes with authorities.—
Sylvie Corbet,
Los Angeles Times,
1 May 2026
Verb
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However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.—
Don Sweeney,
Sacbee.com,
26 Apr. 2026
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Apparently, staff learned to wash their hands, but the roaches returned to ruin another inspector’s visit.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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That has crippled Iran’s two biggest non-oil exports, and higher prices have affected everything from plastics to pipes, to fabrics and packaging for groceries like milk, butter and cheese.—
Amir-Hussein Radjy,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Apr. 2026
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That has crippled Iran’s two biggest non-oil exports, and higher prices have affected everything from plastics to pipes, to fabrics and packaging for groceries like milk, butter and cheese.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Deface.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deface. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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