whipping boy

Definition of whipping boynext
as in victim
a person or thing taking the blame for others used the government's economic policies as the whipping boy for every bad decision the company made

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 whipping boy There will always be whipping boys at the World Cup, a team who arrive underprepared or in chaos of some description. Nick Miller, New York Times, 13 Nov. 2025 Gordie is invisible to his mother and a whipping boy to his father. Sezin Devi Koehler September 1, EW.com, 1 Sep. 2025 Yet Hojlund only has to look at Scott McTominay and how Conte revitalised his career in Naples after years of being a United whipping boy by some sections of the fan base. Emmet Gates, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2025 Once more, Turkey seems to have become a whipping boy for all manner of interests, some of which have little to do with the realities of Turkey itself. Hugh Pope, Foreign Affairs, 21 Oct. 2010 See All Example Sentences for whipping boy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whipping boy
Noun
  • The families of the victims said the pain is still as raw to this day.
    Madisen Keavy, CBS News, 2 July 2026
  • Most of the victims lived nearby, and funeral prayers were expected later Tuesday.
    CNN Money, CNN Money, 1 July 2026
Noun
  • In seeking a lighter sentence, Josh’s attorney, Andrew Searle, had portrayed him as a fall guy for his family.
    Rich Schapiro, NBC news, 3 June 2026
  • But if there is going to be a fall guy for what transpired in the conference finals, Atkinson is a candidate.
    Joe Vardon, New York Times, 26 May 2026
Noun
  • In Mont Vernon, New Hampshire, farmer Mindy Dean, 50, and her family will be milking their goats Saturday and maybe taking in some local fireworks.
    ABC News, ABC News, 2 July 2026
  • Alpha-gal syndrome is caused by ticks, usually the lone star tick, that have previously fed on mammals like cows, deer, goats and pigs.
    Erika Edwards, NBC news, 2 July 2026
Noun
  • There’s no excuse not to organize your pills for travel when this organizer is on sale for just $8.
    Julia Morlino, Travel + Leisure, 30 June 2026
  • The Fourth of July is, for many of us, a welcome excuse for barbecues, beach outings and fireworks — a holiday defined by gathering, but also some pretty ambitious eating and drinking too.
    Anna Lee Iijima, Chicago Tribune, 29 June 2026
Noun
  • Just like the Mets, the case could be made that Boston’s president of baseball operations, Craig Breslow, deserved the blame, but the skipper became the scapegoat instead.
    Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 26 June 2026
  • In a legal filing, Crowley said Mayor Karen Bass, who was out of the country when the fires began, made the longtime firefighter a scapegoat for the catastrophe.
    N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 26 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Whipping boy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whipping%20boy. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.

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