scandalize

verb

scan·​dal·​ize ˈskan-də-ˌlīz How to pronounce scandalize (audio)
scandalized; scandalizing

transitive verb

1
: to offend the moral sense of : shock
She was scandalized by his behavior.
2
archaic : to speak falsely or maliciously of
3
archaic : to bring into reproach

Examples of scandalize in a Sentence

She was scandalized by her son's behavior.
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.
Even at the larval stage of his career, Cronenberg knew how to make our flesh crawl and to scandalize the scolds. A.a. Dowd, Vulture, 28 Apr. 2025 And when daughter Emily got married in 2016, Melody scandalized the wedding by inviting her lover for all to see. Det. Susan Mallie, CBS News, 26 Apr. 2025 Collecting old art was posh and respectable, but in an America still scandalized by the sight of breasts, collecting modern art was outrageous. Susan Tallman, The Atlantic, 12 Mar. 2025 Had my own middle graders come in from the other room, they would have been alternately horrified, scandalized, and bored. Graham Hillard, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 21 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for scandalize

Word History

First Known Use

1566, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of scandalize was in 1566

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Scandalize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scandalize. Accessed 15 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

scandalize

verb
scan·​dal·​ize ˈskan-də-ˌlīz How to pronounce scandalize (audio)
scandalized; scandalizing
1
archaic : to speak of in a false or vicious way
2
: to shock the moral sense of
their actions scandalized the neighbors

More from Merriam-Webster on scandalize

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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