scandal

noun scan·dal \ ˈskan-dᵊl \

Definition of scandal

1 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

2 :loss of or damage to reputation caused by actual or apparent violation of morality or propriety :disgrace

3 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

4 :malicious or defamatory gossip

5 :indignation, chagrin, or bewilderment brought about by a flagrant violation of morality, propriety, or religious opinion

See scandal defined for English-language learners

See scandal defined for kids

Examples of scandal in a Sentence

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 of scandal from the Web

Shortly after the song came out, the Grey's Anatomy Twitter account shared an ad for Grey's, Scandal, and How to Get Away With Murder that featured Taylor's song.

— eliza thompson, Cosmopolitan, "Taylor Swift's New Song Already Has a Starring Role in the New #TGIT Promo," 25 Aug. 2017
But what if instead of economic nationalism, President Trump sticks with indulging in outrageous scandals?

— margaret hartmann, Daily Intelligencer, "Trump’s Up for a Fight Over Race, But It’s the Last Thing Congress Needs," 18 Aug. 2017
Today, Lamine Diack is in French custody on charges of corruption and money laundering related to the Olympic scandals.

— emily l. mahoney and malu gaspar emahoney@miamiherald.com, miamiherald, "Did a rich Miamian help rig the Olympic site selection? Investigators want to know.," 17 Aug. 2017
Warren G. Harding’s presidency–and its many scandals–has been written about at length.

— kat eschner, Smithsonian, "Florence Harding, Not Eleanor Roosevelt, May Have Created the Modern First Lady," 15 Aug. 2017
Due to infighting scandal and the Klan’s general loss of momentum, the WKKK died out by the end of the decade.

— laura smith, The Cut, "The Truth About Women and White Supremacy," 13 Aug. 2017
THE TICKER Wells Fargo can’t seem to find the bottom of its scandals.

— tory newmyer, Washington Post, "The Finance 202: Wells Fargo mess may make it harder to roll back Dodd-Frank," 8 Aug. 2017
Reporters called it a transparent attempt to distract from numerous scandals roiling the White House.

— michael m. grynbaum, New York Times, "Now Starring in the West Wing: Sarah Huckabee Sanders," 8 Aug. 2017
Against this backdrop Ms Ashton narrates scandals of high society, drawing on private correspondence and the penny papers.

— The Economist, "London’s hot and busy summer of 1858," 22 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'scandal.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of scandal

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 13th century

See Words from the same year

scandal Synonyms

Synonyms

dishonor, opprobrium, reflection, reproach, disgrace

Antonyms

credit, honor

Related Words

blot, brand, slur, smirch, spot, stain, stigma, taint

Near Antonyms

boast, glory, jewel, pride, treasure

Synonym Discussion of 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

scandal

verb

Definition of scandal

transitive verb

1 obsolete :disgrace

2 chiefly dialectal :defame, slander

First Known Use of scandal

1592

SCANDAL Defined for English Language Learners

scandal

noun

Definition of scandal for English Language Learners

: an occurrence in which people are shocked and upset because of behavior that is morally or legally wrong
: talk about the shocking or immoral things that people have done or are believed to have done
: something that is shocking, upsetting, or unacceptable