scandalous

adjective

ˈskan-də-ləs How to pronounce scandalous (audio)
Definition of scandalousnext
1
as in disgusting
causing intense displeasure, disgust, or resentment the scandalous news that police officers had been taking bribes

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in erroneous
causing or intended to cause unjust injury to a person's good name spread a scandalous rumor about a coworker that almost cost him his job

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of scandalous The Indiana native has led a busy, scandalous life on and off MTV’s series. — Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Oct. 2026 That such an argument would be offered by a professed Catholic is scandalous. — Arkansas Online, 16 Oct. 2026 But now, new scandalous revelations indicate problems might run even deeper. — Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 8 Oct. 2026 The group navigates high-stakes breakups, scandalous secrets and shifting allegiances — both in the courtroom and within their own ranks — as well as a fierce rivalry with competitor Carrington Lane (Paulson). — Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 5 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for scandalous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scandalous
  1. disgusting
  2. erroneous
  3. ugly
  4. libelous
  5. sickening
  6. slanderous
  7. shocking
  8. incorrect
Adjective
  • Not only has the gimmick run stale, but her insistence on upping the ante year after year, creating costumes that are increasingly bizarre and disgusting, is a threat to us all.
    — Tom Smyth, Vulture, 29 Oct. 2026
  • The actions of their fans, especially their supporter group, was disgusting.
    — Jon Root OutKick, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of disgusting
Adjective
  • According to a lawsuit, a coding error resulted in erroneous scores being generated and reported to third parties over a three-week period between March and April 2022.
    — Brian Sloan,Dan Avery, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2026
  • While descending, deputies said the climber ran into trouble after following an erroneous GPS route that led him onto the Whitney Glacier.
    — Tim Fang, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of erroneous
Adjective
  • The league and its players’ union are heading for an ugly fight, years in the making.
    — Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Cooling plates manage heat during normal operation, while passive barriers and electrical isolation are designed to contain the ugly edge cases that Beta’s testing process intentionally triggers.
    — IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of ugly
Adjective
  • Questions concern how the courts would assess who or what might be responsible for faulty algorithms or other flaws in system design and whether a robot was negligent or malicious when disseminating libelous content damaging individuals or organizations.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 May 2026
  • In recent weeks, though, her group has doubled in size, and while in the past there were only two or three posts per day, Mitchell and her new moderators now have to wade through 60-plus comments ranging from helpful to libelous.
    — Brenna Ehrlich, Rolling Stone, 25 Apr. 2025
Definition of libelous
Adjective
  • Its pristine, almost peaceful harps make the song sound somehow pleasantly sickening.
    — Clover Hope, Pitchfork, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Ole Miss scored two more touchdowns, and whatever momentum Texas had was replaced by that familiar sickening feeling.
    — Mac Engel October 25, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of sickening
Adjective
  • Cloud launched slanderous accusations about the spectator’s personal life based on nothing more than a brief clip of him pointing a finger.
    — Alejandro Avila OutKick, FOXNews.com, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Created under O’Hare’s leadership, the decorum policy prohibits personal attacks, impertinent, profane, obscene, or slanderous remarks as well as threatening, disruptive or unruly behavior.
    — Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of slanderous
Adjective
  • In 2017, McDowell suffered another shocking loss when Paxton died following heart surgery.
    — Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 29 Oct. 2026
  • The project follows Anna, who races to conceal the shocking truth about her best friend’s death on the night of her 21st birthday.
    — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of shocking
Adjective
  • Use safer payment methods When shopping online, paying with a credit card generally gives you stronger protections if an order never arrives or a charge is incorrect.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 27 Oct. 2026
  • The figures represent requests for financial assistance, not necessarily complaints about incorrect water bills.
    — Jamal Goss, CBS News, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of incorrect

Browse Nearby Words

scandalmongers
scandalous
scandals
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Scandalous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scandalous. Accessed 31 Oct. 2026.

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