1
as in disgusting
causing intense displeasure, disgust, or resentment
the scandalous news that police officers had been taking bribes
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in erroneous
causing or intended to cause unjust injury to a person's good name
spread a scandalous rumor about a coworker that almost cost him his job
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of scandalous
Brigitte Bardot, the enchanting French starlet with the marvelous pout who became a carefree icon of sexuality in the 1950s and ’60s after her liberated performance in the scandalous And God Created Woman, has died.
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Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 28 Dec. 2025
The name is scandalous, but the treat is delicious!
—Josh Miller, Southern Living, 28 Dec. 2025
Is there anything so useful and intimate as a conversation with your teenager about scandalous language, vocabulary which any sane parent knows their kid knows, and which, because Catullus has formalized it in lovely hendecasyllables, becomes fodder for frank discussion?
—Literary Hub, 10 Dec. 2025
Throw in a scandalous tryst, a terrible fall, a bout of amnesia, a fake engagement and a wildly sexy, deeply romantic happily ever after, and this absolute banger will keep the pages turning all night long.
—Staff Author, PEOPLE, 5 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for scandalous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scandalous
Adjective
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The medical ordeals are traumatic and disgusting, but fascinating and full of the quirks of modern life.—
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Having snow, slush, and (eventually) water all over my floors was a disgusting feeling.—
Adjective
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Quick hits — Canales told reporters that the refs in the Panthers’ loss to the Bucs on Saturday never gave the Panthers the chance to replay a critical down after an erroneous whistle stopped it dead.—
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In Wiggins case, the court ruled the trial judge gave erroneous legal instructions to the jury.—
Adjective
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Not because the moms themselves are toxic people, but because the dynamic shifts into an ugly place with mean-girl behavior.—
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Sure, coach Mike Tomlin's teams tend to win ugly games, but not in the playoffs — at least not lately.—
Adjective
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In recent weeks, though, her group has doubled in size, and while in the past there were only two or three posts per day, Mitchell and her new moderators now have to wade through 60-plus comments ranging from helpful to libelous.—
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And in this age of clickbait journalism, even those members of the legacy media have resorted to libelous headlines and false reports to generate views.—
Adjective
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Oil is a 20th century energy source, outmoded and responsible for sickening and killing millions of people with the potential to kill millions more.—
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When this sickening sensation happens, the nervous system releases a chemical messenger called substance P, which then binds to receptors in the brain that activate the vomiting reflex — specifically neurokinin-1, or NK-1, receptors.—
Adjective
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The shocking decision sends ripples through the Washington program and the college football transfer portal.—
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There are some great twists and turns leading to a shocking but very satisfying ending.—
Adjective
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Everything was really incorrect for the period—shiny, sparkly, overdone—but the actual shapes and silhouettes of his clothes are quite accurate.—
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Avoid harsh or incorrect cleaners and follow manufacturer guidance to protect coatings, airflow, and internal components.—
Adjective
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Are there horrible smells wafting around?—
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Jimmy Kimmel was horrible, and some of these people.—
Cite this Entry
“Scandalous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scandalous. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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