1
: shocking or offensive
scandalous behavior
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.
2
: involving immoral or shocking things that a person has done or is believed to have done
scandalous allegations
She was spreading scandalous rumors about him.
Cite this Entry
“Scandalous.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/scandalous. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
Copy Citation
