Scandal: meaning, definitions and examples

Use when referring to a public incident that causes widespread shock or disapproval, often involving moral or legal wrongdoing.

• The politician was embroiled in a corruption scandal that dominated headlines for weeks.
• The company's illegal dumping of waste led to a major environmental scandal.

Use when discussing a prolonged public disagreement or heated discussion, typically involving differing opinions or interpretations.

• The new policy on immigration sparked a controversy among the citizens.
• There has been a lot of controversy surrounding the author's latest book.

Use when referring to a feeling of guilt, humiliation, or disgrace following a particular event or action. Often has a strong emotional component and a personal aspect.

• He felt deep shame for betraying his friend's trust.
• The family lived in shame after the father's criminal activities were exposed.

Use when describing an intense reaction of anger or shock from the public due to someone's conduct or an event.

• The government's decision to cut healthcare funding caused public outrage.
• There was widespread outrage over the unfair treatment of workers.

Use when describing a situation in which someone loses respect or stands in public's eyes due to their actions, often indicating personal failure or moral corruption.

• The athlete fell into disgrace after it was discovered he had been using performance-enhancing drugs.
• After the embezzlement scandal, the CEO left the company in disgrace.

Used to describe an event or action that causes public outrage or shock due to its immoral or illegal nature. Often involves well-known figures or institutions.

• The politician’s bribery scandal dominated the news for weeks
• The company was involved in a massive financial scandal

Used in formal or legal contexts to describe the act of damaging someone’s reputation through false statements. This can occur in written or spoken forms.

• The actor sued the newspaper for defaming her character
• His career was ruined after he was defamed by false accusations

Refers specifically to making false spoken statements that damage a person's reputation. This term is often used in legal contexts.

• She accused her colleague of slander after he falsely claimed she stole money
• The company faced a lawsuit for slandering a former employee

Often used in informal or political contexts, refers to deliberately spreading false or misleading information to damage someone's reputation. It carries a negative connotation.

• The opposition party tried to smear the candidate’s reputation with unfounded rumors
• The artist found it difficult to ignore the smear campaign against him