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
Noun
Lau’s new complaint is the latest bit of legal blowback Oakland has faced from the internal scandal last year that led to the firing of former Chief LeRonne Armstrong, who has also filed suit against the city. Shomik Mukherjee, The Mercury News, 14 Mar. 2024 In 1998, everybody in this country was obsessed with closing down sexuality and heaping shame on sexuality in political life, such as the Clinton scandal. Rachel Syme, The New Yorker, 14 Mar. 2024 The Presidential Records Act, or PRA, was passed in 1978 after President Richard M. Nixon sought to destroy White House tapes during the Watergate scandal. Perry Stein, Washington Post, 14 Mar. 2024 John Oliver has weighed in on the current royal scandal involving Kate Middleton and her whereabouts. Ellise Shafer, Variety, 13 Mar. 2024 Volkswagen’s early investment into EVs, prompted by the 2015 Dieselgate scandal, hasn’t been smooth. Ryan Hogg, Fortune Europe, 13 Mar. 2024 Lawyers representing Fox flagged the Philippines scandal in court filings Wednesday, specifically mentioning the charges against Bautista and the disqualification decision in Manila. Marshall Cohen, CNN, 12 Mar. 2024 The developments are the latest twist in a years-long scandal surrounding the facility. Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2024 Catherine, the Princess of Wales, is ensnared in a photo scandal, 34-year-old Momofuku CEO Marguerite Mariscal talks about her rise to the C-suite, and Emma Stone won the Oscar for Best Actress Sunday night. Alicia Adamczyk, Fortune, 11 Mar. 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 Los Angeles indie-rock lifers Surf Curse went from obscurity to scandal to a major-label deal in 10 months, thanks to TikTok. Los Angeles Times, 21 July 2021 Quipping about the status of a business that Volkswagen is positioning as more environmentally friendly also could irk investors, especially in light of the 2015 diesel emissions scandal the company has been trying to put behind it. Clare Duffy, CNN, 31 Mar. 2021 Social scientists predicted the Cambridge Analytica scandal way back in 2007. Felix Salmon, WIRED, 3 Apr. 2018

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'scandal.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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 28 Mar. 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

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