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
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of deface
Janelle Griffith, NBC News, 17 Sep. 2024
Blue splatters of paint have since come to accompany the mural after it was defaced.
—Rosa Rahimi, CNN, 28 Nov. 2024
What the 37-year-old rapper is pissed about is that this billboard-sized monument to his greatness was defaced.
—Mikael Wood, Los Angeles Times, 24 Nov. 2024
The gun’s serial number was defaced, Oyegoke-Olafimihan said.
—Leonard Greene, New York Daily News, 7 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for deface 
Verb
The serial numbers on the AR-15s were defaced, Williams said.
—Janelle Griffith, NBC News, 17 Sep. 2024
Blue splatters of paint have since come to accompany the mural after it was defaced.
—Rosa Rahimi, CNN, 28 Nov. 2024
What the 37-year-old rapper is pissed about is that this billboard-sized monument to his greatness was defaced.
—Mikael Wood, Los Angeles Times, 24 Nov. 2024
The gun’s serial number was defaced, Oyegoke-Olafimihan said.
—Leonard Greene, New York Daily News, 7 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for deface
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deface
Verb
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The following year, the K-rail was vandalized with graffiti.—
Noah Lyons,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 Jan. 2025
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In the first four months of fighting alone, around 100 universities and research centers were damaged or vandalized, according to Sudan’s Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research.—
Kate Okorie,
The Christian Science Monitor,
7 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Detectives arrested a suspect associated with a stabbing that killed a woman and left a man seriously injured in west Roseville on Saturday, according to the Placer County Sheriff’s Office.—
Emma Hall,
Sacramento Bee,
26 Jan. 2025
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But the three-peat has proved elusive in professional football for all kinds of reasons: Key players get injured.—
Becky Sullivan,
NPR,
25 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Airport Actions Threaten Travelers and Stars Airports were the site of protests, shutdowns and vandalism in 2024.—
Michael Goldstein,
Forbes,
15 Jan. 2025
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The suspect, a 24-year-old San Jose resident, was booked into Santa Clara County main jail on suspicion of felony vandalism, possession of graffiti tools and resisting arrest.—
Nollyanne Delacruz,
The Mercury News,
15 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Some 12,000 structures — buildings and cars — have been destroyed so far, and with them many tons of property of all levels of sentimental meaning.—
Steven Zeitchik,
The Hollywood Reporter,
15 Jan. 2025
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This year, however, will be a much more muted affair, as the Palisades and Eaton Fires have destroyed thousands of homes, killed 25 people and forced more than 150,000 residents to evacuate.—
Ethan Millman,
Rolling Stone,
15 Jan. 2025
Verb
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About 12,000 structures have been damaged of destroyed.—
David Caraccio,
Sacramento Bee,
16 Jan. 2025
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When radon gas is inhaled, its radioactive particles can damage lung tissue, which increases the risk of developing lung cancer.—
Michael Gfoeller And David H. Rundell,
Newsweek,
16 Jan. 2025
Verb
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No one was injured but city officials decided the situation could not continue and have made plans to demolish the structures and clear the site.—
Gloria Casas,
Chicago Tribune,
23 Jan. 2025
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Image The restaurant was closed when the fire came the night of Jan. 7, demolishing entire neighborhoods before the flames closed in on the diner.—
Corina Knoll,
New York Times,
22 Jan. 2025
Verb
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However, 2017 first-round pick Malik Hooker’s time in Indianapolis was marred by a season-ending knee and Achilles injuries leading the team to decline the safety’s fifth-year option.—
James Boyd,
The Athletic,
16 Jan. 2025
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Employers stuck the landing in 2024, finishing the year with a bounce of hiring after a summer slowdown and an autumn marred by disruption.—
Lydia DePillis,
New York Times,
10 Jan. 2025
Verb
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While that’s still below 1% of all luggage handled, try explaining that statistic to the family whose weekend away with the kids has been ruined by lost luggage.—
Duncan Madden,
Forbes,
22 Jan. 2025
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Sign up » Nonfiction In the past fifteen years, an avalanche of literature has been published about how technology has ruined our attention spans.—
The New Yorker,
The New Yorker,
22 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near deface
Cite this Entry
“Deface.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deface. Accessed 29 Jan. 2025.
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