SCANDAL Synonyms: 20 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the noun 'scandal' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of scandal are crime , offense , sin , and vice . While all these words mean "a transgression of law," scandal applies to an offense that outrages the public conscience. // a career ruined by a sex scandal

Q: When is 'crime' a more appropriate choice than 'scandal'?

The words crime and scandal can be used in similar contexts, but crime implies a serious offense punishable by the law of the state. // the crime of murder

Q: When might 'offense' be a better fit than 'scandal'?

While in some cases nearly identical to scandal , offense applies to the infraction of any law, rule, or code. // at that school no offense went unpunished

Q: In what contexts can 'sin' take the place of 'scandal'?

Although the words sin and scandal have much in common, sin implies an offense against moral or religious law. // the sin of blasphemy

Q: When would 'vice' be a good substitute for 'scandal'?

The synonyms vice and scandal are sometimes interchangeable, but vice applies to a habit or practice that degrades or corrupts. // regarded gambling as a vice

scandal

noun

ˈskan-dᵊl

Definition of scandal

as in disgrace

a cause of shame a scandal that for many years haunted the family of the banker convicted of embezzlement

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How does the noun scandal contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of scandal are crime, offense, sin, and vice. While all these words mean "a transgression of law," scandal applies to an offense that outrages the public conscience.

a career ruined by a sex scandal

When is crime a more appropriate choice than scandal?

The words crime and scandal can be used in similar contexts, but crime implies a serious offense punishable by the law of the state.

the crime of murder

When might offense be a better fit than scandal?

While in some cases nearly identical to scandal, offense applies to the infraction of any law, rule, or code.

at that school no offense went unpunished

In what contexts can sin take the place of scandal?

Although the words sin and scandal have much in common, sin implies an offense against moral or religious law.

the sin of blasphemy

When would vice be a good substitute for scandal?

The synonyms vice and scandal are sometimes interchangeable, but vice applies to a habit or practice that degrades or corrupts.

regarded gambling as a vice

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of scandal His campaign highlighted a corruption investigation involving Lula’s son and a pension fraud scandal that spanned both Lula’s and Jair Bolsonaro’s administrations. — Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 26 Oct. 2026 Less than two decades later, the bond was tested by a scandal known as the XYZ Affair, in which France’s foreign minister, Talleyrand, demanded bribes from American envoys to Paris. — Lauren Collins, New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2026 In actuality, Wacker’s success was incredibly modest, though he was hampered by a scandal tied to Dry’s tenure. — Jim Barnes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Oct. 2026 Evans met Holmes at a party in 2017, when Theranos was already engulfed in scandal. — Bilin Lin, Fortune, 25 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for scandal

Recent Examples of Synonyms for scandal

Noun

Beneath the spy plots, then, is a fond portrait of a group of people held in perpetual disgrace for their shortcomings, and thus forced to find individual paths to redemption.

— Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 22 Oct. 2026
But Scott was mercifully lifted for Evan Phillips, who recorded the final out of the game to save the Dodgers from disgrace.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2026

Definition of disgrace

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scan

scandal

scandalize

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“Scandal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scandal. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of scandal

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