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

Agents and editors know it’s only a matter of time before the next big AI scandal.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026

The contretemps about the visa scandal pushed #Andy — López Beltrán’s knickname — to the top of social media sites in Mexico, drawing both praise and derision.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026

Taylor also says he thinks his fellow officials should think twice before criticising their former colleagues in the media and talks of his hopes of helping Turkish football emerge from a sprawling referee betting scandal.

From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026

The scandal erupted after some academics and media reports accused Arday, who became Cambridge University's youngest Black professor in 2023, of plagiarizing parts of his doctoral thesis.

From Barron's ● Aug. 11, 2026

“With every passing day, Watergate was circumscribing our freedom of action,” Kissinger, the one person unscathed by scandal, later said.

From "Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War" by Steve Sheinkin

Alison Fuller from Epilepsy Action said it is a "scandal" on par with infected blood and Post Office Horizon scandals.

From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026

He did this by causing one of the weirdest and funniest political scandals of the modern era.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026

“Go Gentle, “Almost Life,” “New Skin” and “The Summer Boy” are just a few of our summer book picks filled with secrets, scandals and seaside romance.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 29, 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

Matt watched the milling crowd of guests and recalled their names, business connections, and scandals.

From "The House of the Scorpion" by Nancy Farmer

Related Words

• crime
• rumor
• wrongdoing