ENGLISH
REFERENCE

scoundrel

n. countable
C1 Advanced US //ˈskaʊndɹəɫ// UK //skˈaʊndɹəl// scoundrel

n. a person who behaves badly or treats others unfairly. You use this word for someone who is dishonest and lacks a sense of duty or honor.

n. a person who lacks principles or behaves in a dishonest and unscrupulous manner. Often carries a slightly old-fashioned or literary tone in modern usage.


SIMPLE

That scoundrel stole my money and disappeared.

CONTEXTUAL

The protagonist spent the first half of the novel as a charming scoundrel before finally deciding to help the village.

COMPLEX

History remembers him not as a hero, but as a self-serving scoundrel who betrayed his allies for personal gain during the height of the conflict.

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