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scandal
The word carries a heavy weight of public judgment and social shame. It is not merely a mistake or a crime, but a transgression that violates the shared moral expectations of a community. The feeling is one of betrayal and shock, often involving a fall from grace for someone in a position of power. In modern usage, it often oscillates between genuine moral outrage and a form of tabloid entertainment. While it can describe a devastating life event, it is frequently used in political contexts to describe a strategic crisis that requires damage control.
Countable when referring to specific incidents of wrongdoing, such as a corruption scandal or a sex scandal.