vandalize

verb

van·​dal·​ize ˈvan-də-ˌlīz How to pronounce vandalize (audio)
vandalized; vandalizing

transitive verb

: to subject to vandalism : damage
vandalization noun

Did you know?

At one point in Frodo’s journey in The Lord of the Rings, J. R. R. Tolkien depicts an ancient statue overlooking a crossroads: “Its head was gone, and in its place was set in mockery a round rough-hewn stone, rudely painted … in the likeness of a grinning face with one large red eye in the midst of its forehead.” The statue had been vandalized by orcs, but the roots of vandalize have more in common with the name of a Tolkien hero. Vandalize comes from the noun vandal, which was originally capitalized and referred to a member of a Germanic people who lived south of the Baltic Sea and sacked Rome in the year 455 CE. This sacking is what likely led to the use of the lower-case vandal for someone who damages or destroys property. The Late Latin word for such a Vandal was Vandalī, a word probably borrowed from a Germanic verb meaning “wend, turn” that also gave rise to the Old English Ēarendel, the name of a mythological figure that inspired Tolkien’s creation of Eärendil, a mariner who wends his way across the sky of Middle Earth carrying the morning star.

Examples of vandalize in a Sentence

Our car was vandalized in the parking lot. he decided to vandalize the store because the owner had kicked him out
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Three buildings off Evans Avenue in the Historic Southside neighborhood — including an NAACP office and a predominantly Black church — were vandalized this week. Kamal Morgan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Apr. 2025 Multiple Tesla facilities have recently been targeted by perpetrators setting fires to vehicles and vandalizing buildings. Michelle Watson, CNN Money, 14 Apr. 2025 Dallas – March 13 An anonymous victim of a Tesla keying at the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, caught on his vehicle's Sentry Mode, is suing the man who allegedly vandalized his car. Peter D'abrosca, FOXNews.com, 12 Apr. 2025 Monday’s vandalism was the fourth time in a month someone has vandalized a Tesla found parked on a New York City street in opposition to Musk and his role as head of the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency under President Trump, NYPD officials said. Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 12 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for vandalize

Word History

Etymology

vandal + -ize

First Known Use

1832, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of vandalize was in 1832

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Cite this Entry

“Vandalize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vandalize. Accessed 20 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

vandalize

verb
van·​dal·​ize ˈvan-dᵊl-ˌīz How to pronounce vandalize (audio)
vandalized; vandalizing
: to destroy or damage property on purpose

Legal Definition

vandalize

transitive verb
van·​dal·​ize ˈvand-ᵊl-ˌīz How to pronounce vandalize (audio)
vandalized; vandalizing
: to subject to vandalism

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