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
as in vandalism
deliberate damaging or destroying of another's property
the defacement of the school's property ended up costing hundreds of dollars
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of deface
Stephen Sorace , Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 28 Jan. 2026
Anyone convicted of defacing certain sensitive surfaces, such as petroglyphs or rock art, faces steeper penalties.
—Outside, 27 Jan. 2026
Gabriele Regalbuto, FOXNews.com, 6 Nov. 2025
After a while, sticky notes appear, written by someone else who’s not exactly pleased about the doodler’s defacement of the only astronomy reference work in the school library.
—Caroline Carlson, Literary Hub, 3 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for deface
Verb
Vandals defaced a boulder and other sites at Yosemite National Park with graffiti over the weekend.
—Stephen Sorace , Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 28 Jan. 2026
Anyone convicted of defacing certain sensitive surfaces, such as petroglyphs or rock art, faces steeper penalties.
—Outside, 27 Jan. 2026
Noun
Palombo learned of the complete defacement through private messages on his social media channels.
—Gabriele Regalbuto, FOXNews.com, 6 Nov. 2025
After a while, sticky notes appear, written by someone else who’s not exactly pleased about the doodler’s defacement of the only astronomy reference work in the school library.
—Caroline Carlson, Literary Hub, 3 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for deface
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deface
Verb
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And yet word of the clinic’s existence soon reached security officers, who vandalized it and interrogated the doctor who ran it.—
Cora Engelbrecht,
New Yorker,
11 Feb. 2026
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Cobb officers called to the scene in June 2024 noted that a nearby metals manufacturer was previously vandalized in connection with the training center’s construction.—
Shaddi Abusaid,
AJC.com,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Dozens more were injured, many suffering serious or life-threatening injuries.—
Alexandra Banner,
CNN Money,
11 Feb. 2026
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Italy’s national fire and rescue service, Vigili del Fuoco, reported that, over the weekend, two people died and one was seriously injured in Alpe Meriggio in Valtellina after being caught in an avalanche that fatally buried at least one of the victims.—
Bonny Chu,
FOXNews.com,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Groft on Wednesday pleaded no contest to nine felony counts of vandalism and two misdemeanor vandalism charges.—
Grace Toohey,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Feb. 2026
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Burglary numbers are down, as are vandalism.—
Ashley Grams,
CBS News,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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More than 12,000 scrolls were once stored inside this second-century center of learning before a fire destroyed them in 262 CE.—
Maureen O'Hare,
CNN Money,
9 Feb. 2026
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Feeling bored, resentful and trapped by domestic life, Hedda hatches a plan to destroy her husband’s potential career rival, Eilert Lovberg, who happens to be her ex-lover.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
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In some cases, UNIFIL vehicles were damaged.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
8 Feb. 2026
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During media interviews after Sunday’s win, Johnson revealed that her gold medal was already damaged.—
Rachel Roberts,
Idaho Statesman,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Police said officers from the 116th Precinct had been alerted to the vandalization in the neighborhood and found 11 different police vehicles, both marked and unmarked, with damage.—
Stephen Sorace,
FOXNews.com,
13 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The former Portage Township Schools Administration building will be the first to be demolished this spring when workers begin preparing to build the new Aylesworth Middle School.—
Doug Ross,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Feb. 2026
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The village is demolishing homes to make way for the redevelopment and will relocate residents elsewhere on campus, Timberlake said.—
Nathan Pilling,
Kansas City Star,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The demoralizing graffiti marring the main entrance to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at 360 Lenox Ave.—
Colin Mixson,
New York Daily News,
12 Feb. 2026
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Hubbard’s own time at UT was marred by controversy over his study of pederasty, the study of adult male relationships with boys in ancient Greece.—
Lily Kepner,
Austin American Statesman,
11 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Deface.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deface. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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