What does scandalousness mean?
Scandalousness is the noun form of scandalous and names the quality or condition of conduct that is shocking, indecent, or considered morally offensive. It can refer to the character of an act, the behavior of a person or institution, or the scandalous nature of a situation. Unlike scandal, which may denote a particular notorious event, scandalousness more often emphasizes the objectionable quality itself. Its connotations are strongly disapproving and commonly moral or political, although it can also describe conduct perceived as merely indecent or inappropriate. The word is especially useful when a writer wants to discuss the character of conduct rather than recount a single incident. In ordinary speech, scandalous may sound more natural, but scandalousness provides a formal nominal expression that can suit analytical, journalistic, or literary contexts.
nounThe quality or condition of being scandalous, especially conduct that is shocking, indecent, or widely regarded as morally offensive.
- The state or quality of being scandalous, especially through shocking, indecent, or morally offensive conduct.
"Few could deny the scandalousness of the allegations once they became public."
"The sheer scandalousness of the report prompted an immediate investigation."
"She delivered a forceful critique of the political scandalousness of the era."
Rare. The word is normally used as a mass noun without a plural.
"The author examines several forms of political scandalousness."
One scandal is an event; scandalousness is the explosive quality that turns shocking conduct into a public moral crisis.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does scandalousness come from?
Scandalousness is formed from the English adjective scandalous by adding the suffix -ness. Scandalous in turn derives from scandal, which entered English from French through Late Latin scandalum; the Latin word came from Greek skandalon, originally meaning a snare or trap and later an obstacle or stumbling block. The Greek term was eventually associated with religious offense and scandal, while English developed its modern senses of public wrongdoing and moral outrage.
Related word forms
How scandalousness is actually used
Formal to neutral in register. It is an abstract noun and is often less common than the adjective scandalous or the related noun scandal. It is normally used as a mass noun, with a plural form appearing only rarely.
Easily confused with scandalousness
Scandalousness is the noun naming the quality or condition of being scandalous, whereas scandalous is the adjective describing a person, act, or thing.