scandal

American  

[skan-dl] / ˈskæn dl /

noun

scandals plural

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.

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verb (used with object)

scandaled, scandaling, scandalled, scandalling

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

2. Obsolete. to disgrace.

scandal British  

/ 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

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verb

1. to disgrace

2. to scandalize

Synonym Usage

See gossip.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

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

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• scandals
  plural

Etymology

Origin of scandal

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

Explanation

Scandal is disgraceful events or nasty gossip about people's private lives, like the scandal that erupted when you were seen at the mall with your best friend's girlfriend. Just because there's a scandal, it doesn't mean it's always true — being seen with your friend's girl? What the gossips didn't know it that you were buying his birthday present. Some scandals, though, involve public figures who have been found guilty. For example, if a politician is found guilty of taking bribes, that's a scandal that will rock your town, causing outrage not to mention the end of that politician's career.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

scandal scandals

Is this going to be a huge scandal?

From Slate ● Jul. 27, 2026

The scandal erupted in September 2015 when German automaker Volkswagen admitted fitting millions of vehicles with software to make engines appear less polluting in regulatory tests than in real driving conditions.

From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026

Despite his involvement in the Astros’ sign-stealing scandal in 2017, ex-Dodgers infielder Alex Cora remains a respected manager who should rebound from the Red Sox firing him.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026

For many of the hundreds of families involved in the largest maternity scandal in NHS history, the suffering did not end with the loss of a baby or loved one.

From BBC ● Jul. 18, 2026

It would have been a scandal if his congregation found out, but they were desperate to cure me.

From "The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs" by Betty G. Birney

He must distance himself from his former ally’s personal scandals.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026

Jackson, who campaigned heavily with Platner before the scandals, had the support of roughly 75 percent of the volunteers who rallied behind the now-disgraced former Senate candidate.

From Slate ● Jul. 24, 2026

What began as online outrage over exam scandals has snowballed into protests against India's education system, posing one of the biggest challenges to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his third term in office.

From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026

Spahn is one of the most powerful figures in the CDU and has survived other political scandals - but this proved one too many for his party.

From BBC ● Jul. 18, 2026

Twisted words, pranks, omissions, riddles, scandals, not to mention their revenges upon one another for ancient, half-remembered slights.

From "The Cruel Prince" by Holly Black

Related Words

• crime
• rumor
• wrongdoing