scandal
Americannoun
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a disgraceful or discreditable action, circumstance, etc.
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an offense caused by a fault or misdeed.
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damage to reputation; public disgrace.
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defamatory talk; malicious gossip.
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a person whose conduct brings disgrace or offense.
verb (used with object)
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British Dialect. to defame (someone) by spreading scandal.
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Obsolete. to disgrace.
noun
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a disgraceful action or event
his negligence was a scandal
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censure or outrage arising from an action or event
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a person whose conduct causes reproach or disgrace
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malicious talk, esp gossip about the private lives of other people
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law a libellous action or statement
verb
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to disgrace
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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
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Plus, the U.S.’s dwindling supply of munitions, a vibe shift around AI and “ski-gate scandal” in Colorado.
The Brit Awards have recognised the cream of British and global pop music since they were first held in 1977, but have often been peppered with scandal and farce.
From Barron's
Telluride, Colo., is embroiled in a “ski-gate” scandal involving an alleged attempted coup to force resort owner Chuck Horning to sell.
Summers, until his entanglement in the Epstein scandal came to light, was among the nation’s most influential economists.
From Salon
"The recruitment scandal makes clear that the Ukraine war is no longer a distant geopolitical issue for African governments," the International Crisis Group said in a new report published on Friday.
From Barron's
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
