1
as in disfigured
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2
as in mutilated
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1
as in vandalized
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in damaged
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 defaced
Beth Bailey, FOXNews.com, 14 Dec. 2025
Historically, designs of coins or currency that are unpopular with the general public are ripe for being defaced, such as the scratching out of public figures or the complete destruction of the piece.
—Seth T. Kannarr, The Conversation, 12 Dec. 2025
In October, Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson posted that the MLK statue had been defaced with graffiti.
—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
The pressure builds until Eddie has a meltdown in public, shaking and threatening the kids who defaced his car.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Sep. 2025
Authorities found weapons defaced with slurs and anti-Israel graffiti.
—Jesus Mesa, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025
Someone had defaced it overnight with paper cutouts and red paint.
—Shomik Mukherjee, Mercury News, 6 Sep. 2025
Verb
The following day, the Newtown Synagogue, also in Sydney, was similarly defaced.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for defaced
Adjective
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The bodies had signs of binding the hands and feet, contortion of limbs, cut off fingertips and disfigured heads, according to Kaki.—
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For his role as Erik, the disfigured organist who haunts the catacombs of the Paris opera house, Chaney underwent a dramatic — and painful — transformation that involved pulling back his nostrils with piano wire to create a skeletal look.—
Verb
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The man had also vandalized a Secret Service vehicle on his way up the home’s driveway, one of the officials said.—
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At least one of the new parking kiosks was vandalized shortly after being installed.—
Verb
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The 13 apartments were damaged by fire, smoke or water.—
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But overloading the dishwasher can result in dirty dishes that need to be put through a second cycle to get clean, and dishes that are crammed in may become damaged.—
Adjective
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Instead, growing evidence suggests that AI tools can reinforce distorted beliefs among individuals already at risk.—
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Stunting or slow growth with distorted leaves or stems.—
Verb
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The Palisades fire killed 12 people and destroyed more than 6,000 structures, becoming the third-most destructive fire in state history.—
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One year after the Palisades Fire leveled entire neighborhoods and destroyed thousands of homes, one Malibu resident is stepping up to help rebuild his community with his architectural expertise.—
Verb
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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).—
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The deal has largely held, though it has been marred by mutual accusations of violations.—
Adjective
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Central Park, for instance, has been reduced to a small, deformed square.—
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As a result, his vocals have a kind of stately yet starry-eyed quality, giving structure to these deformed, cosmic beats from the internet abyss.—
Adjective
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Jonas Brodin, playing with a mangled finger, scored on a squeaker and had an assist.—
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The rescue team shared photos of the mangled vehicle and the driver walking up the steep ledge with assistance from a rescuer to return to the highway.—
Cite this Entry
“Defaced.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defaced. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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