What does scandal mean?
A scandal is an event, situation, or revelation involving serious dishonesty, misconduct, or conduct that violates accepted moral or professional standards. The word often implies not only wrongdoing but also the intense attention and public anger that follow it. A corruption scandal, for example, may involve dishonest financial dealings, political involvement, and widespread outrage. In journalism and everyday speech, scandal can also refer to sensational reporting or reputational damage, although this usage sometimes suggests that the event is being presented in an exaggerated or morally charged way. The word is especially common in discussions of politics, business, religion, and the entertainment industry. Because scandal typically conveys both factual impropriety and a strong reaction from the public, it is more forceful and socially loaded than merely calling something controversial. Understanding the distinction is important when assessing what was established, what was merely alleged, and how strongly a community has responded.
nounA public act or situation involving wrongdoing, dishonesty, or behavior that seriously violates accepted moral or professional standards. The word can also refer to widespread outrage or sensational reporting about such conduct.
- An act, situation, or revelation that is widely regarded as shocking, immoral, or dishonest.
- Strong public anger or excitement caused by such an act or revelation.
- An event or set of circumstances that brings discredit to a person or institution.
"The revelation of the accounting fraud caused a national scandal."
"The newspaper described the minister's private dealings as a scandal."
"The scandal spread rapidly through social media, forcing the company to announce an investigation."
The plural is used for separate scandals or instances of public wrongdoing.
"Several political scandals dominated the election campaign."
What began as a Greek word for a trap became the English word for a scandal: the same idea of causing a fall was transformed into the moral and political chaos of public exposure.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does scandal come from?
The word entered English in the late 16th century from French scandale, which came from Latin scandalum. Latin scandalum was borrowed from Greek skándalon, “a trap” or “stumbling block,” and was especially used in the early Christian sense of an offence that could cause others to sin. Over time, the ecclesiastical sense developed into the modern ideas of moral offence, wrongdoing, and public disgrace.
Related word forms
How scandal is actually used
The term is especially common in political, legal, financial, and religious contexts. It can describe either the underlying wrongdoing or the public reaction to it, depending on context.
Easily confused with scandal
A scandal is an event or situation involving serious wrongdoing, whereas scandalous describes behavior, reporting, or material that is offensive or morally improper.
A scandal is the scandalous event itself, while scandalize is a verb meaning to shock or offend someone.