deface
verb
de·face di-ˈfās 
dē-
defaced; defacing; defaces
transitive verb
1
: to mar the appearance of : injure by effacing significant details
deface an inscription
2
: impair
3
obsolete : destroy
defacement
di-ˈfās-mənt
noun dē-
defacer noun
Synonyms
- trash
- vandalize
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
The building was defaced with graffiti. He was fined for defacing public property.
Recent Examples on the Web Police also allege Beilman and Harwood directed a third man, Matthew Smaller, 24, of Maynard, to deface the grounds of Framingham State with Patriot Front stickers. 
Laura Crimaldi, BostonGlobe.com, 23 July 2022 Why would someone climb 100 feet above a busy highway to deface an ad for a religious TV show? Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 18 May 2022 Hackers might deface Swedish websites and spread disinformation online, Mr. Lindahl said. WSJ, 20 May 2022 No one will make an attempt to deface a sign this evening. Ted Glanzer, Hartford Courant, 9 May 2022 In ancient Egypt, pharaohs who didn't like their predecessors would literally deface their monuments — taking the faces off their statues and reworking the stone into their own likeness. Jason Fields, The Week, 19 Apr. 2022 This chat, for instance, appears to show a PF member discussing how to deface a civil rights mural in Detroit. Dan Goodin, Ars Technica, 22 Jan. 2022 Under the Archaeological Resources Protection Act, those who deface cultural sites face up to two years in prison and a $20,000 fine per charge. Gina Rae La Cerva, Outside Online, 1 Feb. 2022 Nevertheless, unknown assailants attempted to deface the king’s statue (and possibly the sculpture of Pitt, too) within just three years of its arrival in New York. Wendy Bellion, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Jan. 2022 See More
Laura Crimaldi, BostonGlobe.com, 23 July 2022 Why would someone climb 100 feet above a busy highway to deface an ad for a religious TV show? Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 18 May 2022 Hackers might deface Swedish websites and spread disinformation online, Mr. Lindahl said. WSJ, 20 May 2022 No one will make an attempt to deface a sign this evening. Ted Glanzer, Hartford Courant, 9 May 2022 In ancient Egypt, pharaohs who didn't like their predecessors would literally deface their monuments — taking the faces off their statues and reworking the stone into their own likeness. Jason Fields, The Week, 19 Apr. 2022 This chat, for instance, appears to show a PF member discussing how to deface a civil rights mural in Detroit. Dan Goodin, Ars Technica, 22 Jan. 2022 Under the Archaeological Resources Protection Act, those who deface cultural sites face up to two years in prison and a $20,000 fine per charge. Gina Rae La Cerva, Outside Online, 1 Feb. 2022 Nevertheless, unknown assailants attempted to deface the king’s statue (and possibly the sculpture of Pitt, too) within just three years of its arrival in New York. Wendy Bellion, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Jan. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English, from Anglo-French *desfacer, *deffacer, from des- de- + face front, face
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Kids Definition
deface
verb
de·face di-ˈfās
defaced; defacing
: to damage the face or surface of
Vandals defaced the statue.
Legal Definition
deface
transitive verb
de·face di-ˈfās
defaced; defacing
: to destroy or mar the face or surface of
defaces
verb
1
as in vandalizes
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
Relevance
- vandalizes
- destroys
- ruins
- trashes
- demolishes
- smashes
- damages
- violates
- desecrates
- wrecks
- breaks
- shatters
- impairs
- harms
- wastes
- mars
- sabotages
- annihilates
- tags
- loots
- razes
- hurts
- ravages
- despoils
- sacks
- spoils
- plunders
- graffitis
- devastates
- pillages
- ransacks
- wracks
- totals
- wipes out
- scourges
- ravens
- tears down
- bangs up
- marauds
- depredates
- spoliates
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- protects
- preserves
- conserves
- saves
- builds
- salvages
- rebuilds
2
as in damages
to reduce the soundness, effectiveness, or perfection of years of wear had defaced the fine engraving on the coins Synonyms & Similar Words
- damages
- injures
- mars
- disfigures
- cripples
- erodes
- weakens
- hurts
- impairs
- destroys
- harms
- spoils
- compromises
- breaks
- undermines
- vitiates
- ruins
- flaws
- blemishes
- bloodies
- crabs
- shatters
- deteriorates
- tarnishes
- mutilates
- wounds
- blights
- demolishes
- scours
- enervates
- wrecks
- endamages
- batters
- maims
- dents
- enfeebles
- crosses (up)
- botches
- smashes
- devastates
- mangles
- dints
- tortures
- annihilates
- razes
- lacerates
- dings
- disables
- wastes
- washes out
- pulverizes
- decimates
- desolates
- torments
- crushes
- bashes
- queers
- lames
- totals
- clobbers
- dashes
- wipes out
- scourges
- wears (away)
- hamstrings
- tears down
- does in
- gums (up)
- bangs up
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- repairs
- reconstructs
- renovates
- rebuilds
- reconditions
- mends
- fixes
- revamps
- doctors
- rehabilitates
- patches
- helps
- heals
- rectifies
- revises
- cures
- remedies
- enhances
- improves
- edits
- enriches
- refines
- remodels
- perfects
- ameliorates
- betters
- meliorates