Definition
adj. describing something that is shocking or morally wrong. You use this when people are very upset or angry about a situation.
adj. causing public outrage or shock due to perceived immorality or illegality. Often used to describe behavior, events, or news that violates social standards.
Examples
“The politician resigned after a scandalous report was published.”
“The company faced a scandalous investigation after whistleblowers revealed that executives had been hiding massive debts.”
“While the novel was considered scandalous upon its initial release in the Victorian era, modern readers often find its themes of social rebellion quite mild.”
Examples
simple
“The politician resigned after a scandalous report was published.”
contextual
“The company faced a scandalous investigation after whistleblowers revealed that executives had been hiding massive debts.”
complex
“While the novel was considered scandalous upon its initial release in the Victorian era, modern readers often find its themes of social rebellion quite mild.”
Usage
Typically used attributively before a noun or predicatively after linking verbs like 'be' or 'seem'.
Etymology
From Late Middle English scandalouse (“disgraceful, shameful”), borrowed from Old French scandaleux (“scandalous”) (modern French scandaleux), from Medieval Latin scandalōsus, from Ecclesiastical Latin scandalum (“scandal”) + Latin -ōsus (suffix meaning ‘full of; prone to’ forming adjectives). Scandalum is derived from Ancient Greek σκᾰ́νδᾰλον (skắndălon, “offence, scandal; snare, trap”); further etymology uncertain, possibly from Pre-Greek or Proto-Indo-European *skend- (“to jump”) (referring to a device for climbing or jumping on, such as might be used by someone setting a trap). By surface analysis, scandal + -ous (suffix forming adjectives from nouns, denoting presence of a quality in any degree (typically an abundance), or a relation to the nouns).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/scandalous
「カタカナ語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0