VANDALIZE Synonyms: 48 Similar and Opposite Words

vandalize

verb

ˈvan-də-ˌlīz

Definition of vandalize

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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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 vandalize Some demonstrations turned violent, with cars burned, shops looted and the Arc de Triomphe vandalized during clashes in Paris. — ABC News, 19 Oct. 2026 Shops were looted in Paris, Bordeaux, Marseille, Lyon and other cities, while public buildings were vandalized or targeted by fires. — Bradford Betz, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2026 Government buildings were vandalized in multiple cities, contributing to a sense of national crisis that could boost leading far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen six months before elections. — Brendan Ruberry, semafor.com, 18 Oct. 2026 At the start of midterms last week, Cornell University students woke up to their administration building vandalized. — Grey Battle, Washington Post, 11 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for vandalize

Recent Examples of Synonyms for vandalize

Verb

Cities outside Paris have been hit hard by the unrest, including Limoges where a fire nearly destroyed the 19th-century city hall.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 23 Oct. 2026
Animal diseases also threaten our economy and food system, destroying more than 20% of global livestock production each year.

— Robert Kelly, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of destroy

Verb

The building’s owner previously told The Star the building would not be demolished and that it could be redeveloped.

— Chris Higgins, Kansas City Star, 20 Oct. 2026
The 18-year-old female elephant got loose from her handler outside her enclosure, then went on the run, demolishing the door of a saloon on North Avenue, smashing in the window of another and walking through the fence around a vacant lot.

— Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of demolish

Verb

Protests last week devolved into mayhem, with people setting fires, storming public buildings, smashing shop windows, looting and clashing with police.

— ELITSA GADEVA, Arkansas Online, 24 Oct. 2026
Rioters last weekend smashed their way into stores, targeting sneakers, athletic wear and sporting goods on streets that run off the city’s central Duomo square.

— ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of smash

Verb

Burdick seemed to have drawn directly from McCarthy’s experience, the hopelessness of fighting with his father over a world his father had already ruined, the surrender to indulgence and mindless violence because…why not?

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2026
Each room is also outfitted with a Yale smart lock, which means there’s no room for that horrible feeling of losing a room key to ruin your vacation.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of ruin

Verb

Meta has long been criticized for its data privacy practices, and on Wednesday, a New Mexico judge ordered the company to pay $25 billion for violating the state’s consumer protection laws.

— Andrew R. Chow, Time, 22 Oct. 2026
The company had previously said a penalty in the billions of dollars risked violating its constitutional rights to due process and protection from excessive fines.

— Reuters, NBC news, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of violate

Verb

Rioters burned close to 6,000 vehicles and damaged over 1,000 buildings.

— Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 22 Oct. 2026
What that young girl saw damaged and scarred her heart; one wonders why the happy adults around her could not see the ugliness inherent in killing a fellow human being.

— Dr. Michael Good, Hartford Courant, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of damage

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vandalization

vandalize

vandalized

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“Vandalize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vandalize. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of vandalize

verb

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