scandal

American  

[skan-dl] / ˈskæn dl /

noun

1. a disgraceful or discreditable action, circumstance, etc.

2. an offense caused by a fault or misdeed.

3. damage to reputation; public disgrace.

   Synonyms:

   ignominy, opprobrium, disrepute, shame, dishonor, discredit

4. defamatory talk; malicious gossip.

   Synonyms:

   obloquy, aspersion, calumny, slander

   Antonyms:

   praise, honor

5. a person whose conduct brings disgrace or offense.

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verb (used with object)

scandaled, scandaling, scandalled, scandalling

1. British Dialect. to defame (someone) by spreading scandal.

2. Obsolete. to disgrace.

scandal British  

/ ˈskændəl /

noun

1. a disgraceful action or event

   his negligence was a scandal

2. censure or outrage arising from an action or event

3. a person whose conduct causes reproach or disgrace

4. malicious talk, esp gossip about the private lives of other people

5. law a libellous action or statement

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verb

1. to disgrace

2. to scandalize

Related Words

See gossip.

Other Word Forms

• miniscandal noun
• scandalous adjective
• scandalously adverb
• scandalousness noun
• superscandal noun

Etymology

Origin of scandal

1175–1225; from Late Latin scandalum from Late Greek skándalon “snare, cause of moral stumbling”; replacing Middle English scandle from Old French (north) escandle from Late Latin, as above

Explanation

Scandal is disgraceful events or nasty gossip about people's private lives, like the scandal that erupted when you were seen at the mall with your best friend's girlfriend. Just because there's a scandal, it doesn't mean it's always true — being seen with your friend's girl? What the gossips didn't know it that you were buying his birthday present. Some scandals, though, involve public figures who have been found guilty. For example, if a politician is found guilty of taking bribes, that's a scandal that will rock your town, causing outrage not to mention the end of that politician's career.

Example Sentences

Another probe is looking at the links between a businessman at the heart of a major banking scandal and high-ranking public officials.

From Barron's • Apr. 24, 2026

They left under a cloud — each one a scandal for at least one news cycle.

From Salon • Apr. 23, 2026

McSweeney quit his job over the Mandelson scandal in February.

From BBC • Apr. 19, 2026

And in an ugly scandal, Fidelity’s trading desk had been caught receiving favors from brokers.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026

And she remembered that recently there had been references to suitability of families and once a hint that some people couldn’t keep a scandal hidden forever.

From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck

Related Words

• crime
• rumor
• wrongdoing