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.
She has also suggested that parents of children who have committed the vandalism should pay for repairs.
From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026
Many survivors of that day’s attacks are incensed, regarding the mass demolition of the damaged houses as an act of erasure, or vandalism against memory.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2026
Businesses and shops remained closed, with owners moving stock to safer locations ahead of time, fearing looting and vandalism.
From Barron's ● Oct. 4, 2026
The outlet reported that Shrine has a prior felony arson conviction in Contra Costa County as well as convictions for vandalism, battery and violation of probation.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 23, 2026
Eventually he pleaded guilty to vandalism and, I guess, dognapping, although he agreed to pay for the Labradors and a new set of Winnebago tires.
From "Flush" 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.
