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

Synonyms of scandalous

• disgusting
• ugly
• sickening
• shocking
• horrible
• awful
• obscene
• hideous
• obnoxious
• offensive
• dreadful
• nasty

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

Brigitte Bardot, the enchanting French starlet with the marvelous pout who became a carefree icon of sexuality in the 1950s and ’60s after her liberated performance in the scandalous And God Created Woman, has died. —Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 28 Dec. 2025

The name is scandalous, but the treat is delicious! —Josh Miller, Southern Living, 28 Dec. 2025

Beverly D'Angelo discussed improvising a scandalous hand gesture in Christmas Vacation. —Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Dec. 2025

Is there anything so useful and intimate as a conversation with your teenager about scandalous language, vocabulary which any sane parent knows their kid knows, and which, because Catullus has formalized it in lovely hendecasyllables, becomes fodder for frank discussion? —Literary Hub, 10 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1575, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids 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