scandal

/'skændl/
Học thuật
Thân thiện
scandal

A local newspaper reports on a political scandal.

Definition
  1. Noun:
    • A disgraceful or shocking event: An action or situation that is considered morally or legally wrong and causes public outrage or damage to reputation.
    • Malicious gossip or rumor: Talk or reports about the private lives of others that are damaging to their reputation and considered disgraceful.
Examples of Usage
  • As a disgraceful event:
    • The financial scandal led to the resignation of several company directors.
    • The revelation of the corruption scandal shocked the nation.
  • As disgraceful gossip:
    • The tabloids are full of scandal about the celebrity's personal life.
    • She ignored the malicious scandal being spread by her rivals.
Advanced Usage
  • "To cause/create a scandal": To do something that results in public outrage or disgrace.
    • His embezzlement of funds caused a major scandal in the charity sector.
  • "A scandal breaks": Used when a disgraceful event or information becomes publicly known.
    • The scandal broke after an investigative journalist published her findings.
  • "A hint/whiff of scandal": A suggestion or small amount of disgraceful information.
    • The politician resigned at the first hint of scandal.
Variants and Related Words
  • Scandalous (adj): Causing public outrage or shock; disgraceful.
    • The scandalous behavior of the official was widely condemned.
  • Scandalize (verb): To shock or horrify someone by acting in a morally unacceptable way.
    • His crude comments scandalized the audience.
  • Scandal-mongering (noun): The activity of spreading scandalous gossip.
    • The newspaper was accused of scandal-mongering.
Synonyms
  • Disgrace: Loss of reputation or respect as the result of a dishonorable action.
  • Outrage: An extremely strong reaction of anger, shock, or indignation.
  • Gossip: Casual or unconstrained conversation or reports about other people, typically involving details that are not confirmed as true.
Related Phrases
  • "A storm of scandal": A period of intense public criticism and outrage.
    • The minister's actions provoked a storm of scandal.
  • "To be at the center of a scandal": To be the main person involved in a disgraceful event.
    • The CEO found himself at the center of the accounting scandal.
Idioms
  • "A scandal sheet": A newspaper or magazine that specializes in printing sensational and often scandalous stories.
    • Don't believe everything you read in those scandal sheets.
  • "To weather a scandal": To survive a period of public disgrace or outrage without being completely ruined.
    • The company managed to weather the scandal, but its reputation was tarnished.
scandal

A local newspaper reports on a political scandal.

Noun
  1. a disgraceful event
  2. disgraceful gossip about the private lives of other people