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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of deface
In October, Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson posted that the MLK statue had been defaced with graffiti.
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Chelsea Hylton, CBS News, 3 Dec. 2025
Schiffmann’s company spent $1 million to plaster New York City subways with ads this fall, only to have many of them defaced or torn down.
—Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 16 Nov. 2025
Israeli settlers torched and defaced a mosque in a Palestinian village in the occupied West Bank, scribbling hateful messages in a show of defiance a day after some Israeli leaders condemned a recent attack by settlers against Palestinians.
—Christian Orozco, NBC news, 13 Nov. 2025
Meanwhile, the people defacing Friend’s advertisements are expressing a much larger, inchoate rage at the broader AI industry, not just these plastic pendants that practically nobody owns.
—Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 6 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for deface
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deface
Verb
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Over just two days, 30 people were arrested for vandalizing the mall.—
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The husband was criminally charged with vandalizing property, and the neighbors obtained a harassment prevention order against him.—
Verb
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When Dobbins was first injured, a source close to him said the best-case scenario for his return was if the Broncos made the Super Bowl.—
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Dellandrea was injured in the Sharks’ game on Tuesday against the Columbus Blue Jackets as his right leg struck the post after he was inadvertently tripped while driving to the net.—
Verb
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But the Red Sox destroyed and ended their relationship with their only true power hitter and proven winner for a player who, though an undeniably excellent addition, was here for 117 total games.—
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In the Pacific Palisades and nearby Malibu, flames burned for 31 days, scorching 37 square miles and destroying more than 6,000 structures, most of them homes.—
Verb
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Some government offices and financial institutions were damaged during the unrest, residents said, while merchants reported being ordered to reopen businesses despite ongoing security operations.—
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The gunfire damaged the car’s rear end, trunk, tail light and rear window louver, according to court documents.—
Verb
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It is designed to mirror the East Wing addition after the previous building was demolished last year.—
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In order to do so, the city has to acquire the land and purchase the properties — valued at $22 million total — and demolish them, causing several businesses to close or relocate to make way for the project.—
Verb
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The announcement comes as consumer demand for plug-in hybrids has slowed and federal support for electric powertrains has vanished, while, simultaneously, certain Stellantis 4xe vehicles have been marred by continuous recalls.—
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Their union was marred by affairs on both sides, perhaps most notably Charles’s ongoing affair with the former Camilla Parker Bowles (now Queen Camilla).—
Verb
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And, from this week’s issue, Nicola Twilley’s reporting on another lingering effect of the wildfires—smoke taint that is ruining grapes and threatening California’s wine industry.—
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This will either change your life or ruin you.—
Verb
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Both have endured crippling US sanctions that have precipitated economic collapses.—
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In November 2021, while massing troops along its border with Ukraine, Russia threatened to cripple GPS if NATO got in the way.—
Cite this Entry
“Deface.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deface. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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