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
- vandalish adjective
- vandalistic adjective
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.
A city analysis a couple of years ago cited repair costs as one issue and vandalism prevention as another.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 11, 2026
Speaking after the first instance of vandalism, James' mother said she felt "heartbreak" over the destruction.
From BBC • Apr. 11, 2026
Their clash with other residents now includes alleged vandalism and a $10,000 reward.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026
In Westwood, an activist with the group People’s Vision Zero was cited for vandalism while painting a crosswalk without a permit, highlighting the legal risks of unauthorized safety efforts.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2026
Such details might have alarmed Mr. Eberhardt more than the petty acts of vandalism.
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.
