deface

/dɪˈfeɪs/

//dɪˈfeɪs// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"deface" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“deface” is uncommon English (frequency #65,043 among 3,470 “D” headwords), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#65,043
frequency rank, English
3,470
“D” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To damage or vandalize something, especially a surface, in a visible or conspicuous manner.

Corpus desk

Index EN-deface · deface · English

deface · rank #65,043 · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-RARE #65,043
  • LEN-LONG 6 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,470
  • PHOTO-FINISH dehumanization

Nearest frequency peer: dehumanization (+1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Long-tail ranks near “deface”

Sparse band: bars invert rank so rarer forms read shorter

corpus weight

What this shows Long-tail view: where “deface” sits against similarly uncommon English ranks.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for deface
PropertyValue
Headworddeface
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/dɪˈfeɪs/
Letters6
Frequency rank#65,043
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “deface” in English

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).defacefalls in this rarity band:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Rare peers in the same band: “dehumanization” (#65,044), “Deauville” (#65,040), “demesne” (#65,047). Among 3,470 “D” headwords, “deface” is #65,043. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

deface is uncommon English at frequency #65,043 among 3,470 “D” headwords, classed as averb, transcribed /dɪˈfeɪs/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for deface, suggesting the orthography follows predictable English patterns. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English defacen, from Old French defacier, desfacier (“to mutilate, destroy, disfigure”), from des- (“away from”) (see dis-) + Late Latin facia. The correct English form is deface, spelled D-E-F-A-C-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To damage or vandalize something, especially a surface, in a visible or conspicuous manner.
  2. 2
    To void or devalue; to nullify or degrade the face value of.
  3. 3
    To alter a coat of arms or a flag by adding an element to it.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how deface appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. 1869: George Eliot, The Legend of Jubal That wondrous frame where melody began / Lay as a tomb defaced that no eye cared to scan.
  2. After the painting was defaced a decade ago, it went viral and has been a tourist attraction ever since.

Etymology

From Middle English defacen, from Old French defacier, desfacier (“to mutilate, destroy, disfigure”), from des- (“away from”) (see dis-) + Late Latin facia.

Synonyms

disfiguremarobliteratescarvandalizecanceldevaluenullifyvoidbefoulbesmirchblemishblightcontaminatecontortdamagedefacedefamedefiledeformdemolishdestroydestructdevastatedilapidatedisgracedistortharmimpairinjuremaimmanglemutilatepolluteruinscathscathescratchshendsoilspoilstainsullytainttarnishtrashuglifyundermineworsenwreck

Antonyms

beautifyfixrectify

This word in other languages

pintarrajear(Español)défigurer(Français)verunstalten(Deutsch)desfigurar(Português)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "deface"?
"deface" is spelled D-E-F-A-C-E. The IPA pronunciation is /dɪˈfeɪs/.
What does "deface" mean?
As a verb, "deface" means: To damage or vandalize something, especially a surface, in a visible or conspicuous manner.
How do you pronounce "deface"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "deface" is /dɪˈfeɪs/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "deface"?
From Middle English defacen, from Old French defacier, desfacier (“to mutilate, destroy, disfigure”), from des- (“away from”) (see dis-) + Late Latin facia. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "deface", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 6 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

Danson#65,037dinger#65,054Couric#65,014cooter#65,009

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list