scandal

[skan-dl]

noun

1. a disgraceful or discreditable action, circumstance, etc.

2. an offense caused by a fault or misdeed.

3. damage to reputation; public disgrace.

   Synonyms: ignominy, opprobrium, disrepute, shame, dishonor, discredit

4. defamatory talk; malicious gossip.

   Synonyms: obloquy, aspersion, calumny, slander
   Antonyms: praise, honor

5. a person whose conduct brings disgrace or offense.

verb (used with object)

scandaled, scandaling , scandalled, scandalling .

1. British Dialect.,  to defame (someone) by spreading scandal.

2. Obsolete.,  to disgrace.

scandal

/ ˈskændəl /

noun

1. a disgraceful action or event

   his negligence was a scandal

2. censure or outrage arising from an action or event

3. a person whose conduct causes reproach or disgrace

4. malicious talk, esp gossip about the private lives of other people

5. law a libellous action or statement

verb

1. to disgrace

2. to scandalize

Other Word Forms

• miniscandal noun
• superscandal noun
• scandalously adverb
• scandalous adjective
• scandalousness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of scandal¹

1175–1225; from Late Latin scandalum from Late Greek skándalon “snare, cause of moral stumbling”; replacing Middle English scandle from Old French (north) escandle from Late Latin, as above

Word History and Origins

Origin of scandal¹

C16: from Late Latin scandalum stumbling block, from Greek skandalon a trap

Synonym Study

See gossip.

Example Sentences

It was the first full quarter Wells was free from the asset cap that the Federal Reserve put in place in 2018 as a punishment for its fake-account scandal.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Despite decades of technical pronouncements, major scandals of recent memory—from Enron and WorldCom to the 2023 collapse of several regional banks—illustrate that the current framework continues to fall short.

Read more on Barron's

The effect of the scandal may be muted: Voting in Virginia started Sept. 19, which is a reminder that a monthslong Election Day denies voters an informed choice.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The dieselgate scandal first emerged in September 2015, when the US Environmental Protection Agency accused Volkswagen of installing software - known as "defeat devices" - on diesel cars to lower readings of the cars' nitrogen oxide emissions.

Read more on BBC

Hundreds of competitors went into battle in Northamptonshire for the event's 60th year - which attracted increased attention after last year's cheating scandal.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• crime 
• rumor 
• wrongdoing