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

This request will scandalize the restaurant manager far more than one customer having his hand up another customer’s skirt. — Judith Martin, Mercury News, 21 May 2026

Publishes a book of poetry, Arethusa, which scandalizes her family, who send her to a Swiss convent school to mend her ways. — Laird Borrelli-Persson, Vogue, 28 Mar. 2026

Angela’s widowed, insatiably romantic mother treated every day as a chance to scandalize her daughter and harmlessly flirt with everything nearby. — Jp Mangalindan, Entertainment Weekly, 10 June 2026

Obviously, though, Russell took massive creative liberties that scandalized audiences and led to global censorship. — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 22 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1566, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for scandalize

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

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