as in to destroy
to deliberately cause the damage or destruction of another's property
he decided to vandalize the store because the owner had kicked him out
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of vandalize
Police received a call reporting a group vandalizing the robotaxi near La Cienega Boulevard and West 3rd Street around 4 a.m., said J. Chavez, public information officer with the Los Angeles Police Department.
—
Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 26 Jan. 2025
Shepard was murdered in 1998 in what is still one of the most high-profile hate crime cases in U.S. history, but his parents held onto his ashes for 20 years out of fear his gravesite might be vandalized.
—Samantha Riedel, Them, 24 Jan. 2025
Cars in the driveway and in front were vandalized with anti-Jewish slurs.
—Victoria Kim, New York Times, 22 Jan. 2025
Despite Cohn’s efforts to secure the building, it was vandalized in late 2023.
—Eric Lach, The New Yorker, 3 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for vandalize 
Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 26 Jan. 2025
Shepard was murdered in 1998 in what is still one of the most high-profile hate crime cases in U.S. history, but his parents held onto his ashes for 20 years out of fear his gravesite might be vandalized.
—Samantha Riedel, Them, 24 Jan. 2025
Cars in the driveway and in front were vandalized with anti-Jewish slurs.
—Victoria Kim, New York Times, 22 Jan. 2025
Despite Cohn’s efforts to secure the building, it was vandalized in late 2023.
—Eric Lach, The New Yorker, 3 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for vandalize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vandalize
Verb
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In addition to Meester and Brody, Cameron Mathison, Anna Faris, Ricki Lake, Cary Elwes and Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag were among the stars who confirmed that their homes were also destroyed.—
Stephanie Wenger,
People.com,
8 Feb. 2025
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The storm destroyed every structure on the island, wiping out the concert stage, tiki bar, giant slide and food truck.—
Gabrielle Calise Tampa Bay Times (TNS),
arkansasonline.com,
8 Feb. 2025
Verb
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The mural, which depicts Liliana Segre and Sami Modiano, the last two Italian survivors of Auschwitz, was defaced multiple times and even erased by vandals.—
Rachel Wolf,
Fox News,
8 Feb. 2025
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The comment was deleted not long afterward, but screenshots of it were posted on social media — as were images of defaced Heartbeat Brand hats.—
Bay Area News Group,
The Mercury News,
5 Feb. 2025
Verb
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The Crimson Tide have won their last seven games, most recently demolishing Texas 103-80 on Tuesday.—
Josh Hammer,
Newsweek,
15 Feb. 2025
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The plan was to demolish the old office building at 85 Gracechurch Street in the heart of London’s financial district and construct a new 32-story tower in its place.—
Eli Wizevich,
Smithsonian Magazine,
14 Feb. 2025
Verb
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These carnivorous crustaceans pack a powerful punch that can smash mollusk shells at speeds of up to 50 miles per hour and even break glass.—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
7 Feb. 2025
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France’s Ad Vitam has entered Netflix’s all-time top ten for most popular non-English movies on its platform one week after Culpa Tuya smashed records for Amazon.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
7 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Ancient people weren't about to let these pests ruin their crops or their lives.—
Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi,
Discover Magazine,
14 Feb. 2025
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The film ends with Ross going full Red Hulk in the White House Rose Garden (oops), nearly ruining his legacy (Sterns’ real prize) and ultimately forcing him to admit his wrongdoing, give up his office, and head to The Raft to serve an undetermined amount of time in the floating prison.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
14 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Hamilton County Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey was among those saying the group had not violated any laws.—
Marc Ramirez,
USA TODAY,
18 Feb. 2025
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Investigators subsequently tracked down and arrested Nathan on a charge of violating an injunction barring contact with the child and her mother.—
David J. Neal and,
Miami Herald,
17 Feb. 2025
Verb
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The freeze on foreign aid, for example, is already damaging the network of groups the federal government relies on to deliver overseas assistance, according to Scott R. Anderson, a former U.S. diplomat and government attorney now at the Brookings Institution.—
Josh Meyer,
USA TODAY,
10 Feb. 2025
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Sudden weather shifts have become more frequent, and winter freeze-and-thaw cycles can damage plants as much as bitter cold.—
Beth Botts,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Feb. 2025
Verb
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On the evening of January 14, a woman was arrested after allegedly setting multiple piles of rubbish and trash on fire, Jim McDonnell, chief of the Los Angeles Police Department, said at a news conference last week.—
Zoe Sottile,
CNN,
21 Jan. 2025
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For Someone with an Arts & Crafts Corner Some people can be quite clumsy, and the experience of having to trash something valuable due to mishandling is truly heartbreaking.—
Tiana Randall,
Architectural Digest,
21 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near vandalize
Cite this Entry
“Vandalize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vandalize. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
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