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
Police also discovered that the children slept in cribs and defaced monsters and dolls were also found in their rooms, per El Mundo.
—
Kimberlee Speakman, People.com, 1 May 2025
As protests against Elon Musk's Tesla brand are sweeping the United States, one California man's sense of security is left shaken after a masked suspect was caught on camera defacing his family’s Tesla Cybertruck in the driveway of their home last weekend.
—Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 2 Apr. 2025
The Memphis Police Department confirmed to Fox News Digital that Zachary Liberto, 30, was arrested following a verbal altercation with the priest about defacing the baptismal pool inside the church.
—Stepheny Price, Fox News, 23 Mar. 2025
That same day vandals broke windows and defaced a dealership in the San Diego area with swastikas and slogans.
—Minho Kim, New York Times, 19 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for deface
Kimberlee Speakman, People.com, 1 May 2025
As protests against Elon Musk's Tesla brand are sweeping the United States, one California man's sense of security is left shaken after a masked suspect was caught on camera defacing his family’s Tesla Cybertruck in the driveway of their home last weekend.
—Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 2 Apr. 2025
The Memphis Police Department confirmed to Fox News Digital that Zachary Liberto, 30, was arrested following a verbal altercation with the priest about defacing the baptismal pool inside the church.
—Stepheny Price, Fox News, 23 Mar. 2025
That same day vandals broke windows and defaced a dealership in the San Diego area with swastikas and slogans.
—Minho Kim, New York Times, 19 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for deface
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deface
Verb
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If people couldn’t pay the crippling fines for excess births—up to many times a family’s annual income—officials would vandalize their homes, knocking down roofs and doors, and confiscate furniture, cattle, and pigs.—
Barbara Demick,
New Yorker,
23 May 2025
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Nazis set fire to synagogues — including the one attended by Lowell and her family — and vandalized thousands of Jewish homes and businesses, igniting a wave of violence that killed nearly 100 Jews and led to the arrests and deportations of thousands more.—
Lauren Costantino,
Miami Herald,
14 May 2025
Verb
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The woman also was seriously injured in the crash and was taken to a hospital by ambulance.—
Shambhavi Rimal,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
26 May 2025
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Several people were injured in a boat crash in the Hamptons on Sunday night, and the boat’s captain was arrested for boating under the influence, police said.—
Joseph Wilkinson,
New York Daily News,
26 May 2025
Verb
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The Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected a plea from a group of Native American activists and supporters to block a copper mining company from destroying an Apache religious site.—
Jack Birle,
The Washington Examiner,
27 May 2025
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Another key feature of algae oil is its high smoke point of 535 degrees—the temperature at which oil begins to break down, release dangerous chemicals, and destroy its nutrients.—
Jonathan Purtell,
Verywell Health,
27 May 2025
Verb
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No one was hurt but the Toyota 4Runner the men were inside and another vehicle were damaged.—
Steve Henson,
Los Angeles Times,
28 May 2025
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In addition to direct contact, Toxoplasma may also damage sperm because the infection promotes chronic inflammation.—
Bill Sullivan,
The Conversation,
28 May 2025
Verb
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Facing greater competition and sensing more opportunity, the owners decided to close the hotel at the end of May and demolish the building next year.—
Vinod Sreeharsha,
Miami Herald,
20 May 2025
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Its current office building in the area would be demolished.—
Chris Higgins,
Kansas City Star,
20 May 2025
Verb
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However, relatively decent growth fueled by Putin's record military spending has been marred by inflation and a worker shortage impacted by those fleeing the draft and troop losses in Ukraine as experts warn of longer terms problems for the economy.—
Brendan Cole,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 May 2025
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Albania, which has started full membership negotiations with the European Union, has been plagued in its post-communist era with corruption that has marred its democratic, economic and social development.—
Llazar Semini,
Los Angeles Times,
27 May 2025
Verb
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There were missions that felt like a rally racing mini-game, asking me to navigate between timer-extending rings dotting barren desert ruins.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
3 June 2025
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The situation took a turn when Amy accidentally ruined her earbuds in the wash.—
Ashley Vega,
People.com,
3 June 2025
Verb
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About six weeks ago, hackers crippled the computer systems of the TV and mobile phone provider Dish Network.—
Shira Ovide,
Washington Post,
4 Apr. 2023
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Oakland Mills Coach: Chris Brewington Last season: Class 2A state champion Outlook: Losing the talent Oakland Mills did from last year’s outdoor season would cripple most programs, but the Scorpions have reloaded.—
Anthony Maluso,
Baltimore Sun,
22 Mar. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Deface.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deface. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.
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