Definition of sacrificial lamb
: someone or something that is deliberately sacrificed to promote a cause or for the benefit of others
… has become the sacrificial lamb to deflect criticism about exaggerated charges used to make the case for war on Iraq.— John Diamond Yet some women complain that they are recruited as sacrificial lambs to fill out tickets against incumbents regarded as unbeatable.— Patricia A. Avery
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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Time Traveler for sacrificial lamb
The first known use of sacrificial lamb was in 1834
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