What does scoundrel mean?
A scoundrel is someone regarded as dishonourable, dishonest, or contemptibly unreliable. The term is deliberately severe: it does not merely describe an unpleasant or troublesome person, but condemns a person's character or conduct as morally corrupt. It is especially associated with a person who deceives, betrays, exploits, or cheats others, although it can also be used more generally to condemn someone as worthless or contemptible. “Scoundrel” appears frequently in fiction, historical narrative, political rhetoric, and courtroom or courtroom-adjacent language. It belongs firmly to formal or literary usage and is generally too strong for casual criticism. Unlike a neutral term such as “villain,” which can sometimes be playful or fictional, “scoundrel” conveys unequivocal moral disapproval and is rarely used humorously without deliberate irony.
A dishonest, dishonourable, or contemptibly wicked person.
"She denounced him as a scoundrel who had betrayed his family."
Strongly derogatory and commonly literary or rhetorical.
To behave as a scoundrel; act dishonourably or contemptibly.
"He refused to scoundrel the children he had promised to protect."
Archaic or literary; chiefly found in the expression “play the scoundrel.”
The regular plural takes the ending -s.
"The novel portrays a corrupt family of politicians and scoundrels."
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does scoundrel come from?
The word entered English during the 16th century, probably from a Scots form, although its precise origin is uncertain. It originally referred to a low-born or worthless person before acquiring its more specifically condemnatory sense of a dishonest or contemptible rogue.
Related word forms
How scoundrel is actually used
Strongly offensive or contemptuous. It is more common in literary, historical, or rhetorical contexts than in everyday neutral speech.