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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

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, vænˈdælɪk /

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

• Vandalic
  adjective
• Vandalism
  noun

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

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

The mysterious case of a chain-saw-wielding vandal who appeared to randomly terrorize trees in and around downtown Los Angeles last year has come to an anticlimactic close.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 11, 2026

Early Tuesday morning, Brittain blamed “a copyright vandal who doesn’t actually have any right to remove any of this material,” claiming that a “third party” activist affiliated with a video-tracking company was behind the takedown.

From Slate • Feb. 7, 2024

Dad had also combed his hair and put on his wire-rimmed glasses, so he came off more like a college professor than a boat vandal.

From "Flush" by Carl Hiaasen