disfigure
verb
dis·fig·ure
dis-ˈfi-gyər 
especially British -ˈfi-gə
disfigured; disfiguring; disfigures
1
: to impair (as in beauty) by deep and persistent injuries
a face disfigured by smallpox
2
obsolete
: disguise
Synonyms
Examples of disfigure in a Sentence
His face was disfigured by a scar.
the statue was seriously disfigured by falling rubble during the earthquake
Recent Examples on the Web
Ryan Reynolds found the perfect fit with 2016's Deadpool, starring as Wade Wilson, a former Canadian special forces operative (dishonorably discharged) who develops regenerative healing powers that heal his cancer but leave him permanently disfigured with scars all over his body.
—
Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 22 Apr. 2024
Young women were disfigured, their bodies paraded into trucks by masked men, their pants bloodied.
—Julia Jassey, New York Daily News, 20 Feb. 2024
The attack and its fallout—especially the disastrous wars in Afghanistan and Iraq—also weakened the country by fueling division and distrust, sapping confidence in government and elite institutions, and supercharging the polarization that has disfigured U.S. democracy.
—Shadi Hamid, Foreign Affairs, 8 Sep. 2021
Emmett Till, 14, is laid out on a cot in a Chicago funeral home, his face disfigured and bloated.
—Lucy McKeon, New York Times, 3 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for disfigure 
Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 22 Apr. 2024
Young women were disfigured, their bodies paraded into trucks by masked men, their pants bloodied.
—Julia Jassey, New York Daily News, 20 Feb. 2024
The attack and its fallout—especially the disastrous wars in Afghanistan and Iraq—also weakened the country by fueling division and distrust, sapping confidence in government and elite institutions, and supercharging the polarization that has disfigured U.S. democracy.
—Shadi Hamid, Foreign Affairs, 8 Sep. 2021
Emmett Till, 14, is laid out on a cot in a Chicago funeral home, his face disfigured and bloated.
—Lucy McKeon, New York Times, 3 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for disfigure
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'disfigure.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near disfigure
Cite this Entry
“Disfigure.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disfigure. Accessed 2 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
disfigure
verb
dis·fig·ure
dis-ˈfig-yər
especially British -ˈfig-ər
: to spoil the appearance of
disfigured by a scar
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