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
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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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Recent Examples of deface
Three tourists from Germany have been cited after going on a paintball shooting spree that defaced road signs, bathrooms and dumpsters throughout Joshua Tree National Park, officials said.
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Jon Haworth, ABC News, 9 Aug. 2024
The Internet Archive's founder, Brewster Kahle, also confirmed the breach and said the website had been defaced with the pop-up through a JavaScript library.
—Theara Coleman, theweek, 16 Oct. 2024
The social media reaction was as unhappy as guest star Keegan-Michael Key's Smilin' Jack Furniture Store owner character was in the episode where his Detroit billboards were defaced by bawdy graffiti.
—Julie Hinds, Detroit Free Press, 16 Oct. 2024
Pictures provided by Min’s campaign showed several signs defaced with a racist slur for someone of Asian descent.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for deface 
Jon Haworth, ABC News, 9 Aug. 2024
The Internet Archive's founder, Brewster Kahle, also confirmed the breach and said the website had been defaced with the pop-up through a JavaScript library.
—Theara Coleman, theweek, 16 Oct. 2024
The social media reaction was as unhappy as guest star Keegan-Michael Key's Smilin' Jack Furniture Store owner character was in the episode where his Detroit billboards were defaced by bawdy graffiti.
—Julie Hinds, Detroit Free Press, 16 Oct. 2024
Pictures provided by Min’s campaign showed several signs defaced with a racist slur for someone of Asian descent.
—Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for deface
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deface
Verb
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Bears poach hot tubs, vandalize yard decor, and steal too many crash cans to count.Frederick Dreier, Outside Online, 18 Nov. 2024
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Overnight in the 1400 block of Abbott: Someone vandalized a mural in the bathroom area.Anne Gelhaus, The Mercury News, 12 Nov. 2024
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The fish, which can grow to 30 feet in length and feed on krill, have typically washed up on beaches when injured or disoriented, according to scientists.James Doubek, NPR, 20 Nov. 2024
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There were no fatalities but two people were seriously injured with severe burns from a powerful explosion Tuesday night that destroyed several condominiums and heavily damaged others in Orion Township, authorities confirmed on Wednesday.Bill Laytner, Detroit Free Press, 20 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Homes, roads and community spaces in the path of Helene have been destroyed.Patricia McIlreavy, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024
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The protagonist Skif goes to Chernobyl on a mission to imbue the artifact left by the anomaly that destroyed his home with residual energy that radiates throughout the Zone.Issy van der Velde, Rolling Stone, 20 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Officials haven’t determined the number of structures that have been damaged.CNN.com, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024
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There were no injuries, but three homes were damaged in the fire, which began at around 9 a.m. near Pacific Coast Highway, Mayor Doug Stewart said.Phil Helsel, NBC News, 7 Nov. 2024
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The Lions demolished the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, putting up at least 50 points on their opponent for the second time this season.Ryan Gaydos, Fox News, 20 Nov. 2024
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Instead, Israel has conducted a campaign of broad devastation in Gaza, attacking the territory’s civilian population; demolishing its health, educational, and social infrastructure; and destroying its food production, shelter, and sources of potable water.John Spencer, Foreign Affairs, 18 Nov. 2024
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Bell's attempt to salvage his playoff hopes by overtaking Bubba Wallace was marred by Wallace's deceleration due to a potential tire issue.David Faris, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024
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Still, Moldovan officials are braced for a second round of voting marred by pro-Russian meddling.Christian Edwards, CNN, 2 Nov. 2024
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Lobby group Family Business UK said tens of thousands of family-run businesses and farms will be ruined by this change due to lower levels of inheritance tax relief.Marc Shoffman, theweek, 6 Nov. 2024
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The ground floors of thousands of homes have been ruined.Hernán Muñoz and Joseph Wilson, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2024
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
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Cite this Entry
“Deface.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deface. Accessed 25 Nov. 2024.
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