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scandal definition

scan·dal (skan′dəl)

noun

  1. Christian Theol. unseemly conduct of a religious person that discredits religion or causes moral lapse in another
  2. any act, person, or thing that offends or shocks moral feelings of the community and leads to disgrace
  3. a reaction of shame, disgrace, outrage, etc. caused by such an act, person, or thing
  4. ignominy; disgrace
  5. malicious gossip; defamatory or slanderous talk

Etymology: altered (infl. by Fr scandale or LL) < ME scandle < OFr escandele < LL(Ec) scandalum, cause for stumbling, temptation < Gr(Ec) skandalon, a snare: see descend

transitive verb scandaled -·daled or scandalled -·dalled, scandaling -·dal·ing or scandalling -·dal·ling

  1. Now Chiefly Dial. to slander
  2. Obsolete to disgrace

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

scandal Synonyms

scandal

n.

shame, disgrace, embarrassment, infamy, turpitude, discredit, blot on one's escutcheon, slander, disrepute, detraction, obloquy, calumny, defamation, opprobrium, reproach, aspersion, backbiting, gossip, eavesdropping, rumor, hearsay.

Antonyms praise*, adulation*, flattery.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

scandal Usage Examples

Preposition: of

  • poverty: However, the real scandal of fuel poverty is the impact on the health of individuals.

Preposition: that

  • splash: Liberty mutual does just identify yourself scandal that splashes.

Converse of object

  • mis-selling: Clearly, the high profile nature of mortgage endowments and other mis-selling scandals has concentrated the mind of everyone in the financial services industry.

Adjective modifier

  • match-fixing: First there was the match-fixing scandal among Italian football clubs, which resulted in Juventus, Lazio and Fiorentina being relegated.

Noun used with modifier

  • mis-selling: They also presided over the pensions mis-selling scandal, at a cost of £ 3 billion.
scandal usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

scandal quotes

   Excellentioris person× semper casus in vitium, minoris lapsum, comparatione scandali multe longius antecedit. The scandal of an exalted person's fall into vice, when compared to the lapse of one lesser, always far exceeds it.

-Canmore, Malcolm   d.1093

   Retired to their tea and scandal, according to their ancient custom.

-Congreve,William

The demi-monde does not represent the crowd of courtesans, but the class of declassed women† It is divided from that of honest women by public scandal, and divided from that of the courtesans by money.

-Dumas, Alexandre, fils

scandal quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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"scandal." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 5 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/scandal>

APA Style

scandal. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 5th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/scandal

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