adj
Uncommon
scandalous
SKAN-duh-luhs
Scandalous (adj) means shocking or disgraceful enough to cause public outrage. Example: “The company's scandalous treatment of its workers made headlines.”
adj
1
Shocking or disgraceful enough to cause public outrage.
"The company's scandalous treatment of its workers made headlines."
2
Exceeding what is reasonable or acceptable; outrageous.
"There was a blizzard on. The cold was something frightful. Made one quite thankful to get back to the fug, though as a rule I think the way these trains are overheated is something scandalous."
— Agatha Christie, The Evidence of Colonel Arbuthnot (1934)
"It's scandalous how much they charge for parking here."
How to use scandalous
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishDescribes behaviour or a situation shocking enough to cause outrage, or, more loosely, something outrageously unreasonable.
Common pairings
scandalous behaviour
scandalous prices
utterly scandalous
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Word forms
- Comparative
- more scandalous
- Superlative
- most scandalous
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The company's _____ treatment of its workers made headlines.
Etymology
From Old French scandaleux, ultimately from the same Latin/Greek root as "scandal."
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for scandalous
See all rhymes for scandalous →Frequently asked questions
What does “scandalous” mean?
The word “scandalous” means shocking or disgraceful enough to cause public outrage. In plain terms, describes behaviour or a situation shocking enough to cause outrage, or, more loosely, something outrageously unreasonable.
How do you pronounce “scandalous”?
“Scandalous” is pronounced SKAN-duh-luhs (/ˈskændələs/ in IPA).
How do you use “scandalous” in a sentence?
Here is “scandalous” used in a sentence: “The company's scandalous treatment of its workers made headlines.”
What part of speech is “scandalous”?
“Scandalous” is an adjective.
Where does the word “scandalous” come from?
The word “scandalous” comes from Latin. From Old French scandaleux, ultimately from the same Latin/Greek root as "scandal.".
Is “scandalous” a common word?
“Scandalous” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “scandalous” have?
“Scandalous” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: shocking or disgraceful enough to cause public outrage.
