vandalism
Americannoun
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deliberately mischievous or malicious destruction or damage of property.
vandalism of public buildings.
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the conduct or spirit characteristic of the Vandals.
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willful or ignorant destruction of artistic or literary treasures.
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a vandalic act.
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of vandalism
Explanation
Vandalism is the destruction of someone else's property. Some people think of graffiti as public art, while others dismiss it as nothing but vandalism. If you damage public or private property on purpose, you've committed the crime of vandalism. The range of vandalism can vary from carving your initials in a desk at school to tearing pages out of a library book to breaking windows of a building. The word vandal comes from the Vandals, the Germanic tribe that attacked Rome in 455. The tribe's name meant "wanderer," but the word vandal was used in the 1600s to mean "destroyer of what is beautiful."
Vocabulary lists containing vandalism
Frindle
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Banned Book Club
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Vandalism has been rampant, with graffiti appearing on the historic structure almost daily.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 18, 2026
Vandalism against Jewish property rose 51% last year, with 1,288 incidents reported versus 853 attacks in 2021.
From Washington Times • Mar. 23, 2023
Vandalism also occurred at a synagogue in Lincolnwood, WMAQ-TV reported.
From Seattle Times • Jan. 31, 2022
Vandalism to a mural honouring footballer Marcus Rashford is "not believed to be of a racial nature", say police.
From BBC • Jul. 16, 2021
Vandalism and trespassing weren’t big-time crimes, but Officer Delinko was intrigued by the continuing pattern of mischief at the future site of Mother Paula’s All-American Pancake House.
From "Hoot" by Carl Hiaasen
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
