scandalize

verb

scan·​dal·​ize ˈskan-də-ˌlīz 

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

When published, Hine’s haunting pictures scandalized America, and laws to protect kids emerged. —Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 5 May 2025

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

Word History

First Known Use

1566, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for scandalize

• advertise
• aggrandize
• agonize
• alibis
• alkalies
• alkalis
• amortize
• amplifies
• analyse
• analyze
• anywise
• authorize

Kids Definition

scandalize

verb

scan·​dal·​ize ˈskan-də-ˌlīz 

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