succes de scandale: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowFormal/Literary/Journalistic
Quick answer
What does “succes de scandale” mean?
A work of art, entertainment, or literature that achieves fame or notoriety primarily because of its shocking, offensive, or controversial nature, rather than its intrinsic artistic merit.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A work of art, entertainment, or literature that achieves fame or notoriety primarily because of its shocking, offensive, or controversial nature, rather than its intrinsic artistic merit.
A person, event, or phenomenon that gains widespread attention, success, or fame primarily through scandal, controversy, or outrage, often where the negative publicity paradoxically drives interest and consumption.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The phrase is used identically in both varieties, retaining its French spelling and italics/quotation marks. It is slightly more prevalent in UK cultural and literary criticism.
Connotations
Cultured, sophisticated, often used with a knowing or ironic tone. Implies a commentary on public taste and media dynamics.
Frequency
Very low frequency in everyday language. Almost exclusively found in arts, media, and literary discourse.
Grammar
How to Use “succes de scandale” in a Sentence
[Work/Person] was/achieved/became a succès de scandale.The novel's publication turned into a succès de scandale.It enjoyed the status of a succès de scandale.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “succes de scandale” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- N/A – The phrase is exclusively a noun phrase.
American English
- N/A – The phrase is exclusively a noun phrase.
adverb
British English
- N/A – No adverbial form.
American English
- N/A – No adverbial form.
adjective
British English
- N/A – No adjectival form. Use 'scandal-driven' or 'notoriously successful'.
American English
- N/A – No adjectival form. Use 'scandal-driven' or 'notoriously successful'.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Might be used metaphorically for a product that sells due to negative press.
Academic
Used in cultural studies, media studies, and art history to analyse reception.
Everyday
Extremely rare. Would be marked as a very educated or pretentious usage.
Technical
Term of art in literary criticism and art criticism.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “succes de scandale”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “succes de scandale”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “succes de scandale”
- Misspelling as 'success de scandal' (anglicising). Incorrectly using it to mean simply 'a big scandal'. Forgetting to italicise or use quotation marks as a loanphrase.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Not necessarily. It implies its fame is *due to* scandal. The work itself may be of high quality, but that is not the reason for its public recognition.
It is pronounced in an anglicised French manner: /ˌsʊkseɪ də ˈskɒndɑːl/ (UK) or /ˌsʊkseɪ də skænˈdæl/ (US). The 'succès' part rhymes with 'day'.
Yes, as it is a direct, unassimilated loanphrase from French, it is conventionally italicised in formal writing (e.g., *succès de scandale*).
Certain reality TV stars or viral internet phenomena that gain fame primarily through outrage, divisiveness, or morally questionable behaviour, rather than talent or achievement, could be considered modern equivalents.
A work of art, entertainment, or literature that achieves fame or notoriety primarily because of its shocking, offensive, or controversial nature, rather than its intrinsic artistic merit.
Succes de scandale is usually formal/literary/journalistic in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Any publicity is good publicity.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: SUCCeSS through SCANDAL. The French phrase 'succès' looks like 'success', and it's linked by 'de' to 'scandal'.
Conceptual Metaphor
CONTROVERSY IS A COMMODITY / NOTORIETY IS CURRENCY
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary driver of a 'succès de scandale'?