as in to destroy
to deliberately cause the damage or destruction of another's property
he decided to vandalize the store because the owner had kicked him out
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Recent Examples of vandalize
In September a right-wing demonstration erupted into violence during which rioters vandalized the office, just weeks ahead of the general election.
—
Molly Quell, Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2026
Dunbar said several people have provided tips about the latest case and that some have speculated someone is vandalizing the tree to try to get a better ocean view.
—Noah Lyons, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2026
Activists vandalize grid equipment.
—IEEE Spectrum, 7 May 2026
Northern California law enforcement officials are investigating after a statue of Cotton Rosser, one of the most influential figures in professional rodeo history, was vandalized in the city of Marysville.
—Richard Ramos, CBS News, 7 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for vandalize
Molly Quell, Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2026
Dunbar said several people have provided tips about the latest case and that some have speculated someone is vandalizing the tree to try to get a better ocean view.
—Noah Lyons, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2026
Activists vandalize grid equipment.
—IEEE Spectrum, 7 May 2026
Northern California law enforcement officials are investigating after a statue of Cotton Rosser, one of the most influential figures in professional rodeo history, was vandalized in the city of Marysville.
—Richard Ramos, CBS News, 7 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for vandalize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vandalize
Verb
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The fire destroyed two structures — a cabin and an equipment shed — and forced the evacuation of 11 National Park Service employees, who were rescued by a Santa Barbara County Fire Department helicopter.—
Jack Flemming,
Los Angeles Times,
18 May 2026
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Covers personal property used to secure a loan as collateral if it's destroyed.—
Liz Knueven,
CNBC,
18 May 2026
Verb
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These public acts were meant not only to deface property, but to send a message of intimidation.—
Laurence Milstein,
Sun Sentinel,
28 Apr. 2026
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In Australia, synagogues were firebombed, cars torched and Jewish community buildings defaced – the types of attacks recently seen in the United Kingdom that have prompted calls for a crackdown on antisemitism.—
CNN.com Wire Service,
Mercury News,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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There, on the Hudson River waterfront, David Wojnarowicz wrote poems and painted murals alongside Luis Frangella and Mike Bidlo, while Peter Hujar and Dirk Rowntree photographed scenes of impromptu happenings and performances, before the site was demolished in 1984.—
Natalia Torija,
Curbed,
14 May 2026
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Playing in Cincinnati, just about 100 miles away from his hometown of Louisville, Daylen Lile demolished a home run in the 10th inning on Wednesday to help the Washington Nationals earn an 8-7 comeback win over the Cincinnati Reds.—
Danielle Allentuck,
Washington Post,
14 May 2026
Verb
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Authorities said the suspect then smashed into the store's jewelry counter, stealing nearly $10,000 worth of merchandise before walking out and fleeing the scene on a motorcycle.—
Alexandra Koch,
FOXNews.com,
16 May 2026
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Suarez was caught on surveillance camera smashing into the Volkswagen Jetta on Amsterdam Ave.—
Thomas Tracy,
New York Daily News,
16 May 2026
Verb
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Since 2015, it has been held in ten different cities, including Las Vegas, where a red carpet was constructed atop the Bellagio’s fountain pool, and Nashville, where rowdy attendees ruined bachelorette parties on Broadway.—
Dan Greene,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
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Many riads were in a state of disrepair, crammed with striking examples of traditional craftsmanship going to ruin.—
Rebecca Ann Hughes,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
Verb
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Over the past three weeks, the collapse of the once-tight bond between two of the most prominent names in AI has been the subject of a high-profile trial in Oakland, California, after Musk sued Altman and OpenAI in 2024 for allegedly violating their commitment to keep OpenAI as a nonprofit.—
Ashley Capoot,Lora Kolodny,
CNBC,
18 May 2026
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For now, Carl still looks like an ethical saint compared to Duncan, who remains committed to violating privacy laws with such brazenness that even the federal government would be moved to pass enforceable regulations against him.—
Scott Tobias,
Vulture,
17 May 2026
Verb
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While satellite launches mostly produce black carbon, which has a potential to warm the upper atmosphere, satellite re-entries generate aluminum oxides, which can damage the ozone layer.—
Tereza Pultarova,
Space.com,
18 May 2026
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Fallen debris also caused a house in the village of Subbotino to catch fire, while four people were injured when drones damaged several residential blocks in the western town of Istra, TASS reported.—
Kosta Gak,
CNN Money,
17 May 2026
Verb
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Unsurprisingly, Tigers athletic director Verge Ausberry had his new head coach's back while trashing former coach Brian Kelly and his inability to relate to boosters or fans during his time in Baton Rouge.—
Austin Perry OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
14 May 2026
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And in New York, hundreds of teens flooded a mall in the Bronx in February, trashing stores and berating mall employees.—
Eric Levenson,
CNN Money,
9 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Vandalize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vandalize. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
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