graffiti
Spray-painted vandalism
Graffiti is writing or drawings scrawled on public surfaces—walls, subway cars, buildings, bridges.
The word is Italian and technically plural, though English treats it as a mass noun: The graffiti was removed overnight.
Graffiti ranges from crude tags and obscenities to elaborate murals.
Whether it constitutes art or vandalism depends on who you ask and who owns the wall.
Wall-applied artwork
- spraypaintPressurized pigment in cans
- taggingAttaching identifying markers
- stencilCutout pattern for painting
- throwupExpelled stomach contents
piece · bombing · wheatpaste · crew · burner · fill-in · outline · cap
Damaging an appearance
- damageHarm or impairment
- trespassUnauthorized entry onto property
- illegalForbidden by statute
- offenseViolation or umbrage
nuisance · blight · eyesore · cleanup · prosecution · fine · arrest · removal
Vertical enclosing structure
- trainRail vehicle or instruct
- freightGoods being transported
- overpassBridge spanning a road
- bridgeStructure spanning an obstacle
tunnel · alleyway · rooftop · highway · billboard · shutter · concrete · brick
Rhythmic spoken-word music
- breakdancingAcrobatic hip-hop dance form
- streetwearSkate and hip-hop clothing
- skateboardingSport on wheeled plank
- subwayUnderground transit passage
urban · underground · counterculture · youth · identity · territory · respect · beef
Transmitted communication
- sloganMemorable promotional phrase
- politicalOf government matters
- dissentDisagreement with authority
- resistanceCapacity to withstand force
activism · statement · manifesto · subversion · agitprop · solidarity · revolution · voice
Enormously successful entertainment property
- 3DThree-axis spatial representation
- shadowLight blocked by object
- arrowPointed shaft for shooting
- serifLetter terminal flourish
calligraphy · script · character · glyph · outline · fill · highlight · drip
Text permanently marked
- carvingShaping by cutting away
- etchingAcid-incised metal print
- scratchingRaking with nails
- historicalOf documented times
roman · political · satirical · erotic · electoral · announcement · archaeological · preserved
mural
Wall-applied artwork
- spraypaintPressurized pigment in cans
- taggingAttaching identifying markers
- stencilCutout pattern for painting
throwup · piece · bombing · wheatpaste · crew · burner · fill-in · outline · cap · fade
defacement
Damaging an appearance
offense · nuisance · blight · eyesore · cleanup · prosecution · fine · arrest · removal · buff
wall
Vertical enclosing structure
bridge · tunnel · alleyway · rooftop · highway · billboard · shutter · concrete · brick · abandoned
hip-hop
Rhythmic spoken-word music
- breakdancingAcrobatic hip-hop dance form
- streetwearSkate and hip-hop clothing
- skateboardingSport on wheeled plank
subway · urban · underground · counterculture · youth · identity · territory · respect · beef · battle
writer
Creator of texts
toy · biter · fame · rep · style · influence · anonymous · pseudonym · signature · legend
message
Transmitted communication
resistance · activism · statement · manifesto · subversion · agitprop · solidarity · revolution · voice · expression
blockbuster
Enormously successful entertainment property
serif · calligraphy · script · character · glyph · outline · fill · highlight · drip · sharp
inscription
Text permanently marked
- carvingShaping by cutting away
- etchingAcid-incised metal print
- scratchingRaking with nails
historical · roman · political · satirical · erotic · electoral · announcement · archaeological · preserved · ancient
- artfine art, Renaissance, painters, masterpieces, paint
- art formspainting, drawing, sculpture, photography, music
- art stylesimpressionism, surrealism, cubism, realism, pop art
- creative expressionself-portrait, memoir, diary, journal, autobiography
- public artstatues, sculptures, murals, monuments, fountains
- surface artpainting, mural, fresco, mosaic, stencil art
graffitipublic art
Accessible outdoor creative works
civic art · monument · memorial · advertisement · mural
graffitifine art
Aesthetic visual creations
museum piece · high art · masterpiece · classical art · old masters
- graffiti artistSpray-paint muralist, often illegal
- graffiti artSpray-painted urban imagery
- American Graffiti1962 California youth film
- graffiti tagSpray-painted pseudonym marker
- subway graffitiIllicit transit murals
- graffiti lettersStylized spray-painted alphabet
graffitied, graffito, graffitist, graffitiing, graffitists, graffiti art, graffiti artist, graffiti artists