scandal

1 of 2

noun

scan·​dal ˈskan-dᵊl How to pronounce scandal (audio)
1
a
: a circumstance or action that offends propriety or established moral conceptions or disgraces those associated with it
b
: a person whose conduct offends propriety or morality
a scandal to the profession
2
: loss of or damage to reputation caused by actual or apparent violation of morality or propriety : disgrace
3
: malicious or defamatory gossip
4
: indignation, chagrin, or bewilderment brought about by a flagrant violation of morality, propriety, or religious opinion
5
a
: discredit brought upon religion by unseemly conduct in a religious person
b
: conduct that causes or encourages a lapse of faith or of religious obedience in another

scandal

2 of 2

verb

scandaled; scandaling; scandals

transitive verb

1
chiefly dialectal : defame, slander
2
obsolete : disgrace
Choose the Right Synonym for scandal

offense, sin, vice, crime, scandal mean a transgression of law.

offense applies to the infraction of any law, rule, or code.

at that school no offense went unpunished

sin implies an offense against moral or religious law.

the sin of blasphemy

vice applies to a habit or practice that degrades or corrupts.

regarded gambling as a vice

crime implies a serious offense punishable by the law of the state.

the crime of murder

scandal applies to an offense that outrages the public conscience.

a career ruined by a sex scandal

Examples of scandal in a Sentence

Noun There was a major scandal involving the mayor's ties with the Mob. Government officials were caught in an embezzlement scandal. Her behavior caused a scandal at school. There was never a hint of scandal during her time in office. The gossip magazine is filled with rumors and scandal. The high price of gas these days is a scandal. It's a scandal that this city doesn't have a movie theater.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Peyser covered the high-profile trial for the Post as a columnist, spending every day in court in order to produce a series of ruthless front-page takes about the Stewart scandal. David MacK, Vulture, 7 Nov. 2024 Equatorial Guinea has been ruled by the same president for decades and the scandal has been shaking the government since the videos first emerged last week. Reuters, NBC News, 6 Nov. 2024
Verb
Produced by Uforia and Pitaya Entertainment, the first season of En Boca Cerrada reveals heartbreaking details about the disturbing case, reminiscent of the Jeffrey Epstein and R. Kelly scandals. Isabela Raygoza, Billboard, 7 June 2023 Ohio Democrats meanwhile have struggled in the past to tie Republicans to scandal. Andrew J. Tobias, cleveland, 25 July 2021 See all Example Sentences for scandal 

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Late Latin scandalum stumbling block, offense, from Greek skandalon trap, stumbling block, offense; akin to Latin scandere to climb

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 5a

Verb

1592, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of scandal was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near scandal

Cite this Entry

“Scandal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scandal. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

scandal

noun
scan·​dal
ˈskan-dᵊl
1
: a crime against faith that causes another to sin
2
: loss of or damage to one's reputation : disgrace
brought scandal on the school
3
: something that offends accepted moral standards or disgraces those associated with it
their behavior is a scandal

More from Merriam-Webster on scandal

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!