VANDALISMS Synonyms: 33 Similar and Opposite Words

vandalism

noun

ˈvan-də-ˌli-zəm

Definition of vandalism

as in vandalization

deliberate damaging or destroying of another's property anyone guilty of vandalism to university property will be expelled

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of vandalism This is unlike home insurance, which covers environmental damage, theft and vandalism. — Alora Bopray, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026 Lincoln police are investigating the incident as felony vandalism. — Richard Ramos, CBS News, 27 Aug. 2026 Both are part of a growing wave of activist vandalism targeting the traffic surveillance technology. — Kayla Hayempour, NBC news, 21 Aug. 2026 Fuentes was booked on charges of felony vandalism, vehicle theft and felony evading, the Police Department said. — Fedor Zarkhin, Los Angeles Times, 20 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for vandalism

Recent Examples of Synonyms for vandalism

Noun

Riverside has both a community center named for Chavez and a bronze statue — often the target of vandalization — on the Main Street pedestrian mall in the city’s downtown.

— Ryan Carter, Daily News, 19 Mar. 2026
Police said officers from the 116th Precinct had been alerted to the vandalization in the neighborhood and found 11 different police vehicles, both marked and unmarked, with damage.

— Stephen Sorace, FOXNews.com, 13 Nov. 2025

Definition of vandalization

Noun

The deadly wall of water that descended from the mountains on the border between Nepal and Tibet caused destruction at least 62 miles downriver from the border in Nepal, an ABC News analysis of verified video and satellite images shows.

— Jon Haworth, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026
Trump has also promoted the destruction of Iran's nuclear facilities and navy, and the reduction in missile and drone capabilities, as measures of success.

— Bart Jansen, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of destruction

Noun

Prosecutors concluded that widespread damage to the pool’s blue lining stemmed from construction problems after investigators were unable to find any evidence of intentional defacement.

— Paloma Chavez, PEOPLE, 5 Aug. 2026
Livestock theft, arson and the defacement of mosques are routinely reported.

— Majdi Mohammed, Los Angeles Times, 24 July 2026

Definition of defacement

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vandal

vandalism

vandalization

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“Vandalism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vandalism. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of vandalism

noun

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