scandalous
adjective
scan·dal·ous
ˈskan-də-ləs 
1
: libelous, defamatory
scandalous allegations
2
: offensive to propriety or morality : shocking
scandalous behavior
scandalously
adverb
scandalousness
noun
Examples of scandalous in a Sentence
Sex was a scandalous subject back then.
The magazine published scandalous pictures of the movie star.
The high price of gas these days is scandalous.
She was spreading scandalous rumors about him.
Recent Examples on the Web
The vibe is slightly scandalous and dimly lit, basically everything a good speakeasy should be.
—
Jill Robbins, Southern Living, 5 Sep. 2025
The term was coined in the 1990s when the antics of the players and scandalous incidents resembled something of a high-octane soap opera.
—Zak Garner-Purkis, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025
On the streaming side, major platforms are diving headfirst into true crime, revisiting scandalous celebrity hoaxes and infamous decades-old cases alike.
—Rebecca Aizin, People.com, 22 Aug. 2025
That was too scandalous for people, so even without seeing the movie, there were huge protests against it.
—Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 21 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for scandalous
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Jill Robbins, Southern Living, 5 Sep. 2025
The term was coined in the 1990s when the antics of the players and scandalous incidents resembled something of a high-octane soap opera.
—Zak Garner-Purkis, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025
On the streaming side, major platforms are diving headfirst into true crime, revisiting scandalous celebrity hoaxes and infamous decades-old cases alike.
—Rebecca Aizin, People.com, 22 Aug. 2025
That was too scandalous for people, so even without seeing the movie, there were huge protests against it.
—Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 21 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for scandalous
Cite this Entry
“Scandalous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scandalous. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
scandalous
adjective
scan·dal·ous
ˈskan-d(ə-)ləs
1
: harmful to one's reputation : defamatory
denied the truth of the scandalous rumors
2
: shocking
scandalous behavior
scandalously
adverb
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