scandal
B2Formal and informal; common in news, politics, and everyday discourse about public figures.
Definition
Meaning
An action or event regarded as morally or legally wrong and causing public outrage.
Can refer to the widespread feeling of indignation or gossip arising from such an event, or to a situation or circumstance considered deeply disgraceful.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word carries a strong moral judgment and implies a breach of trust, norms, or law that becomes publicly known. It is not used for private, unknown wrongdoings.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning. The derived adjective 'scandalised' (UK) vs. 'scandalized' (US) follows regional spelling conventions.
Connotations
Identical strong negative connotations in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally common and frequent in both UK and US media and speech.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
A scandal erupted over...The scandal involved...He was at the centre of the scandal.The company was rocked by scandal.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A scandal sheet (a newspaper focusing on scandal)”
- “Teapot tempest (a small, exaggerated scandal)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to corporate misconduct, fraud, or ethical breaches that damage a company's reputation.
Academic
Used in political science, sociology, and media studies to analyse the impact of public wrongdoing on institutions and public trust.
Everyday
Used to discuss shocking behaviour by celebrities, politicians, or local figures reported in the news.
Technical
Not a technical term; its use is discursive and evaluative.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The revelations scandalised the entire establishment.
- His behaviour would scandalise the neighbours.
American English
- The cover-up scandalized the nation.
- Paying such low wages is scandalizing the workforce.
adverb
British English
- The money was scandalously mismanaged.
- He behaved scandalously at the event.
American English
- The funds were scandalously misappropriated.
- The prices are scandalously high.
adjective
British English
- The scandalous waste of public money was exposed.
- He was involved in a scandalous affair.
American English
- The scandalous details were all over the news.
- It's scandalous that they get away with it.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The news story was about a big scandal.
- People were talking about the scandal for weeks.
- The political scandal caused the minister to resign.
- There was a financial scandal at the bank last year.
- The newspaper uncovered a corruption scandal that reached the highest levels of government.
- The company never recovered from the public relations scandal.
- The burgeoning scandal over offshore accounts implicated several high-profile celebrities and politicians.
- The minister's attempt to deflect blame only served to deepen the scandal.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of SCANdal: the public and media SCAN every detail of the wrongful act.
Conceptual Metaphor
SCANDAL IS AN EXPLOSIVE FORCE (The scandal rocked the government. The scandal blew up in their faces.)
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'скандал' which primarily means a noisy quarrel or row. English 'scandal' is broader, focusing on public outrage over wrongdoing, not just a loud argument.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'scandal' for a simple argument or disagreement (incorrect: *We had a scandal about where to go).
- Using it as a verb (The news scandalised the public - correct as adjective 'scandalous' or verb 'to scandalize').
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following situations best describes a 'scandal'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, 'scandal' is inherently negative. It describes an event that causes public shock, anger, or moral outrage.
Gossip is casual talk about others, often about private matters, and can be trivial or malicious. A scandal is a specific, serious event involving wrongdoing that provokes widespread public condemnation.
Not commonly. The verb is 'to scandalize' (US) / 'scandalise' (UK), meaning to shock or horrify someone by acting wrongly. The adjective 'scandalous' is far more frequent.
Not necessarily. While often involving illegality (like fraud), a scandal can stem from actions seen as deeply immoral or unethical, even if not strictly illegal (e.g., a hypocritical lifestyle).
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