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scandal

USSKAN-duhl/ˈskændəl/

Pluralscandals

8 meanings of scandal

Practice

  1. 1
    nouncountable
    A shameful event that hurts the good name of a person or group.

    Like a stain that everyone can see and keeps remembering.

    The bribery scandal forced the mayor to resign.

    News of the scandal spread quickly through the company.

    Similaraffair, controversy, disgrace, outrage, embarrassment

    Note
  2. 2
    noununcountable
    Public anger and shock at something people think is very wrong.

    Like a wave of anger spreading through a crowd.

    The decision caused huge scandal among parents.

    Her comments stirred up scandal across the country.

    Similaroutrage, indignation, uproar, furor, outcry

  3. 3
    noununcountable
    Harm done to a person's good name.

    Years of scandal had ruined his good name.

    She wanted to avoid scandal at all costs.

    Similardisgrace, dishonor, discredit, shame, ignominy

    Oppositehonor, credit, respectability

  4. 4
    noununcountable
    Harmful gossip that spreads bad claims about a person.

    The whole town loved to spread scandal about its neighbors.

    She never repeated scandal she could not prove.

    Similargossip, slander, calumny, defamation, dirt

    Note
  5. 5
    nouncountable or uncountable
    A wrong act or word that leads another person into sin.

    His bad example was a scandal that led others to do wrong.

    The teacher feared his careless words might be a scandal to the children.

    Similaroffense

    Oppositeedification

    Note
  6. 6
    nouncolloquialPhilippinescountable or uncountable
    Amateur adult videos made at home, or in casual speech, a noisy fuss or commotion.

    The kids kicked up a real scandal in the backyard all afternoon.

    The website was shut down for selling scandal, homemade sex videos of real couples.

    Similarfuss, commotion, ruckus, racket, porn

    Note

Less common meanings

  1. 7
    verbobsolete
    To spread false, harmful claims about someone.

    Liars often scandal those they envy.

    I do fawn on men and hug them hard And after scandal them.
    1599, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Iulius Cæsar”Here, scandal means to spread false, harmful things about someone.
    Note
  2. 8
    verbobsolete
    To shock or upset someone by doing something they think is very wrong.
    Note

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of scandal apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

It came from a Middle French word for anger caused by bad behavior, which came from a Latin and Greek word meaning a "stumbling block" or a trap set for an enemy. The meaning slowly changed to "something that brings shame."