defaced; defacing; defaces
1
: to mar the appearance of : injure by effacing significant details
deface an inscription
2
: impair
3
obsolete
: destroy
defacer
noun
Examples of deface in a Sentence
The building was defaced with graffiti.
He was fined for defacing public property.
Recent Examples on the Web
Photos and videos on Sunday showed Assad posters being defaced, statues toppled, and government buildings raided, with crowds gathering in the streets to celebrate the end of the regime.
—
Rachel Schilke, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 8 Dec. 2024
Bluer was accused of defacing the Roseville building around Oct. 24, 2021, because of the race and color of people affiliated with the church.
—Christina Hall, Detroit Free Press, 4 Dec. 2024
His head was stuffed and mounted in Gregory Gym, only to be stolen before the 1928 SMU game, recovered unharmed shortly thereafter, then defaced in 1943 — most likely by Aggies, who sawed off his horns.
—Michael Barnes, Austin American-Statesman, 17 Nov. 2024
This aerial picture shows a bullet-riddled portrait of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad adorning Hama’s municipality building after it was defaced following the capture of the city by anti government fighters, on December 6, 2024.
—Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 9 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for deface 
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Rachel Schilke, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 8 Dec. 2024
Bluer was accused of defacing the Roseville building around Oct. 24, 2021, because of the race and color of people affiliated with the church.
—Christina Hall, Detroit Free Press, 4 Dec. 2024
His head was stuffed and mounted in Gregory Gym, only to be stolen before the 1928 SMU game, recovered unharmed shortly thereafter, then defaced in 1943 — most likely by Aggies, who sawed off his horns.
—Michael Barnes, Austin American-Statesman, 17 Nov. 2024
This aerial picture shows a bullet-riddled portrait of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad adorning Hama’s municipality building after it was defaced following the capture of the city by anti government fighters, on December 6, 2024.
—Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 9 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for deface
Dictionary Entries Near deface
Cite this Entry
“Deface.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deface. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.
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Legal Definition
deface
transitive verb
de·face
di-ˈfās 
defaced; defacing
: to destroy or mar the face or surface of
defacement
noun
defacer
noun
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