How to Use scoundrel in a Sentence

scoundrel

noun
  • The scene cuts off right as the two space scoundrels decide to bet their ships.
    — Lindsey Bahr, chicagotribune.com, 24 Apr. 2018
  • Or opt to work with both sides as a scoundrel — those who are there to make a quick buck.
    — Jacob Krol, CNN Underscored, 8 Sep. 2020
  • The greatest scoundrels are the holy men, who take their vows to hide some misdeed.
    — Sam Sacks, WSJ, 18 Jan. 2019
  • That scoundrel Chief Trouthands lived and died for his people.
    — Literary Hub, 21 Aug. 2025
  • Solo is about the events that shaped him into a smuggling scoundrel.
    — Bryan Bishop, The Verge, 15 May 2018
  • Paxton, meanwhile, is known for being a scoundrel.
    — Nicole Russell, USA Today, 28 May 2026
  • There is so much great art created by scoundrels and so much bad art created by saints.
    — Eva Wiseman, Vogue, 1 Oct. 2024
  • Or to understand that your husband is a cheating scoundrel -- and move on.
    — Annie Lane, oregonlive, 6 Dec. 2021
  • James Scott, who the fountain is named after, was a scoundrel and playboy.
    — Frank Witsil, Detroit Free Press, 5 June 2023
  • As a scoundrel, players decide on their own code among a wretched hive of scum and villainy.
    — Gieson Cacho, The Mercury News, 5 Sep. 2024
  • In the latter, there were scoundrels and scandals, heros and heroines, triumphs and tragedies.
    — Brian Albrecht, cleveland.com, 31 Dec. 2017
  • Learning his real father is a world class scoundrel and creep probably was not very fun.
    — Brian Grubb, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2024
  • Why not the maverick wisecracking scoundrel who flew the fastest ship in the galaxy?
    — T.j. Furman, Philly.com, 21 May 2018
  • Yet too many Democrats are reacting as though Musk himself is the scoundrel.
    — Stephen Moore, Boston Herald, 3 Apr. 2025
  • But think like a scoundrel for a second, like Star Wars Outlaws asks you to.
    — Joshua Rivera, Vulture, 30 Aug. 2024
  • Alyn, much like Spiranac, gets her share of social media scoundrels in her mentions.
    — Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2025
  • Then the scoundrels noticed that the boat’s plughole was open, leading it to take on water at a rapid rate and slowly sink.
    — Eric Jay Dolin, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 May 2024
  • That and the excellent voice acting really sold Musashi as a scoundrel with a good heart.
    — Zackery Cuevas, PC Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
  • If not now, then by the next generation of cybernetic scoundrels, or the next.
    — WIRED, 6 July 2023
  • A couple of scoundrels, though, disappeared from the history books.
    — David Noyce, The Salt Lake Tribune, 3 Aug. 2023
  • The eyes are kind of strikingly similar to William, but William was a scoundrel.
    — The Salt Lake Tribune, 1 Aug. 2022
  • Giannis, a gentleman even in this era of scoundrels, likely wants to do right by the Bucks, too.
    — Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 3 Dec. 2025
  • To Heidl, the bankers and politicians are the real scoundrels, scurvy in their double-dealing and greed.
    — William Giraldi, Philly.com, 6 Apr. 2018
  • Jack is variously described and self-described as a ne’er-do-well, a reprobate, a black sheep and a scoundrel.
    — Sam Sacks, WSJ, 25 Sep. 2020
  • It’s scorned Donald, who saw that scoundrel Lee leaving his mistress’s house this morning.
    — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 15 Oct. 2025
  • Ticket buyers who dressed in sumptuous lace, lavish gowns and their finest attire called the event an all-out scam run by scoundrels.
    — Susan Tompor, Detroit Free Press, 26 Sep. 2024
  • You are being forced to surrender your country without a fight to the gang of traitors, thieves, and scoundrels who have seized power.
    — Alexei Navalny, The New Yorker, 11 Oct. 2024
  • Historically, the claim of consensus is the first refuge of scoundrels.
    — Dp Opinion, The Denver Post, 13 May 2017
  • For all of these reasons and more, Rudy Giuliani is 2019’s scoundrel of the year.
    — Matt Ford, The New Republic, 18 Dec. 2019
  • At that time, proving that Hayward was, in fact, a liar, a scoundrel, a cheat and a swindler didn’t constitute a defense.
    — Washington Post, 14 Mar. 2022

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'scoundrel.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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