To disfigure means to damage or spoil someone's appearance, usually permanently. If someone's face gets badly scarred in an accident, or if a disease damages their skin, they might be disfigured. The word always suggests serious damage that changes how someone or something looks in a lasting way.

The word can also apply to objects or places. A beautiful old building might be disfigured by thoughtless graffiti or careless construction. A statue could be disfigured if someone chips away important details. In nature, a forest might be disfigured by a fire or by clear-cutting trees without care for the landscape.

You wouldn't say someone disfigured a clay sculpture by making it better. The word specifically means making something worse-looking or less recognizable than it was before.

When writers use disfigured to describe people, they're usually emphasizing the severity of an injury or the tragedy of what happened. Many people also point out that someone whose appearance has been disfigured is still a complete person worthy of respect and friendship, even if their appearance has changed.