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• vandal
  vandal

  noun

  a member of a Germanic people who in the 5th century a.d. ravaged Gaul and Spain, settled in Africa, and in a.d. 455 sacked Rome.
• Vandal
  Vandal

  noun

  a member of a Germanic people that raided Roman provinces in the 3rd and 4th centuries _ad before devastating Gaul (406–409), conquering Spain and N Africa, and sacking Rome (455): crushed by Belisarius at Carthage (533)

vandal

American  

[van-dl] / ˈvæn dl /

noun

• vandals
  plural

1. (initial capital letter) a member of a Germanic people who in the 5th century a.d. ravaged Gaul and Spain, settled in Africa, and in a.d. 455 sacked Rome.

2. a person who willfully or ignorantly destroys or mars something beautiful or valuable.

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adjective

1. (initial capital letter) of or relating to the Vandals.

2. imbued with or characterized by vandalism.

vandal ¹ British  

/ ˈvændəl /

noun

1. 1. a person who deliberately causes damage or destruction to personal or public property

   2. ( as modifier )

      vandal instincts

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Vandal ² British  

/ ˈvændəl /

noun

1. a member of a Germanic people that raided Roman provinces in the 3rd and 4th centuries _ad before devastating Gaul (406–409), conquering Spain and N Africa, and sacking Rome (455): crushed by Belisarius at Carthage (533)

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• Vandalism
  noun
• Vandalic
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• vandals
  plural

Etymology

Origin of vandal

First recorded in 1545–55, vandal is from the Late Latin word Vandalus, Latinized tribal name

Explanation

A vandal is someone who harms or destroys other people's property. Someone who paints graffiti on your door is a vandal. Vandalizing is the damaging of someone else's possessions or property. A person who vandalizes is a vandal. A vandal doesn't steal, but they reduce the value of what someone owns by harming it. Vandals slash tires and key cars. Vandals paint on buildings. Vandals break windows. A vandal might have a grudge against a particular person, or sometimes teenagers become vandals out of boredom. The worst kind of vandal might be the kind who desecrates tombstones.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

vandal Vandal vandals

SIASCONSET, Mass.— A vandal is at large on Nantucket, an island better known for gray-shingle cottages, boat shoes and billionaires.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 8, 2026

Often described as "elusive" and "secretive" by the press, the "guerrilla street artist" is a hero to some and a vandal to others.

From BBC ● Mar. 18, 2026

His ability to freely make art without being punished as a vandal by authorities could be hampered now that he’s recognizable as Gunningham, or Jones.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 17, 2026

The founder of the triangle project, Patrick Carney, told KRON-TV that the vandal spray-painted the triangle in lines “that go back and forth. ... It damaged 26 of the tarps.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 18, 2025

The authorities, for their part, don’t think McCandless was the vandal.

From "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer

The name of the memorial refers to the nickname given the school’s sports teams, “The Vandals,” and its mascot, Joe Vandal.

From Washington Times ● Dec. 15, 2023

Early next year, the family will travel to Australia for an eight-week solo exhibition starting on 15 January in Sydney's Vandal Gallery, which specialises in showcasing progressive art.

From BBC ● Oct. 1, 2023

As expected, WSU’s talent-packed defensive front harassed the Vandal offense throughout the night.

From Seattle Times ● Sep. 4, 2022

The game begins, and Vandal doesn’t stop moving.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 27, 2021

He was a dark-faced man; his skin, perhaps from sun, was a black red, as though some Norse or perhaps Vandal blood was perpetuated in him.

From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck

In this case, he blamed vandals for damaging the pool.

From Slate ● Aug. 4, 2026

President Donald Trump has blamed vandals for damage to newly applied coating on the bottom of the pool.

From BBC ● Jul. 9, 2026

The new 6th Street Bridge, hailed as a civic landmark just steps away, was promptly stripped of its wiring by vandals and now sits pitch black at night.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026

Soon after completion of the work, the coating began to peel off and algae turned the pool's water a mucky green -- setbacks the president has blamed on vandals, without providing evidence.

From Barron's ● Jul. 2, 2026

The soldier’s loudness annoyed him; this was a man who had abandoned his ogbunigwe and run off long before the vandals were close.

From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie