Asked by juan

meaning of the word vandalism

All Answers 1

Answered by GPT-5 mini AI
Vandalism (noun)

- Common meaning: the deliberate destruction, damage, or defacement of property belonging to someone else.
- Examples: spray-painting graffiti on a building, breaking windows, keying a car, or smashing public fixtures.
- Legal note: typically a criminal offense; severity and penalties depend on the extent and value of the damage and local laws.
- Etymology: from the name of the Vandals (a Germanic tribe) + -ism, used from the 18th century to describe wanton destruction.
- Synonyms: wilful damage, defacement, malicious mischief.
- Antonyms: preservation, conservation.

Example sentence: "The vandalism to the park benches will cost the city thousands to repair."