From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishscandalscan‧dal /ˈskændl/ ●●○ noun 1 [countable]RUMOUR/RUMOR an event in which someone, especially someone important, behaves in a bad way that shocks people It caused quite a scandal when he left his wife. The college has recently been involved in a drugs scandal. He has been at the centre of a political scandal. a major scandal involving the government a series of financial scandals a sex scandal that ruined his reputation They had already left the country when the scandal broke.2 [uncountable] talk about dishonest or immoral things that famous or important people are believed to have done The magazine is full of gossip and scandal.3 → be a scandalCOLLOCATIONSverbscause a scandalThe vicar caused a scandal by having an affair with a young woman.be involved in a scandalA senior government official is involved in a political scandal.be implicated in a scandal (=be suspected of being involved)One of the ministers implicated in the scandal resigned.be at the centre of a scandal British English, be at the center of a scandal American EnglishThe banker at the centre of the scandal has disappeared.uncover/expose a scandalThe scandal was uncovered by a journalist.a scandal breaks (=becomes known)When the scandal broke in 1990, it forced the resignation of the bank's chairman.a scandal erupts (=becomes known with serious effects)A major scandal erupted in Washington last year.the scandal surrounding somethingThey had tried to protect the prime minster from the scandal surrounding the arms sales.ADJECTIVES/NOUN + scandal a big/major scandalThe president was forced to resign following a major scandal.a financial scandal (=involving money)He was suspected of involvement in a major financial scandal.a political scandal (=involving politicians)The Health Secretary now finds himself at the centre of a political scandal.a corruption scandal (=involving illegal payments)a major police corruption scandala sex scandalThere are rumours of a sex scandal involving senior government ministers.a public scandal (=one that people know about and discuss)The award was soon the centre of a public scandal.the Watergate/Whitewater etc scandal (=the scandal involving a particular place, organization etc)The name of Richard Nixon will forever be associated with the Watergate scandal.the worst scandal (=the biggest or most shocking)Total losses resulting from India's worst financial scandal amounted to Rs31,000 million.phrasesa hint/whiff of scandal (=the suggestion that someone may be involved in a scandal)He vowed that no hint of scandal would ever be attached to him.
Examples from the Corpus
scandal• The newspapers only seem interested in gossip and scandal.• What I did not anticipate was that this would prove to be a matter as much of intrigue and scandal as of science.• The administration has been plagued by scandal and controversy.• There were a number of corporate scandals, mostly involving illegal political funding.• Another well-documented scandal has been the sale of unsuitable or dangerous medicines in the Third World.• a financial scandal• The funding scandal now looks set to run and run.• Have you heard the latest scandal? Mick Green's been arrested for bribery and corruption.• A major scandal erupted in November 1989, with the discovery that cattle in the UK and Netherlands had been given food contaminated with lead.• He vowed that no hint of scandal would ever be attached to him.• And she will do anything to avoid another royal scandal - even if it means not seeing Charles while speculation persists.• a sex scandal involving senior politicians• But he was a bit of a womaniser and got mixed up in some scandal.• the worst spy scandal in US history• He resigned a few days after the scandal broke.• The scandal over the deal forced the corporation's president to resign in disgrace.scandal broke• In the last days of 1990 a new scandal broke.• For some days after the scandal broke, the press could find out nothing about him.• Jameson lost his job and split up with his wife after the scandal broke.• He was summarily dismissed from his job and the scandal broke on the front pages of Britain's national press.• Casey died of a brain tumor before the scandal broke.• Ever since the scandal broke, the hunt has been on for scapegoats.Origin scandal (1100-1200) Late Latin scandalum “offense”, from Greek skandalon 