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On Yom Kippur, the ancient Hebrews would sacrifice one goat for God and lead another one, over whom all the sins of Israel had been confessed, into the wilderness to bear the sins of the people away. The ceremony is described in Leviticus, where it is said that one lot shall be cast for God and one for "Azazel." Modern scholars usually interpret Azazel (ʽazāzēl in Hebrew) as being the name of a demon living in the desert, but ancient biblical translators thought ʽazāzēl referred to the goat itself, apparently confusing the word with the Hebrew phrase ʽēz 'ōzēl, meaning "goat that departs." Thus, in a 16th century English translation, the word for Azazel/the goat was rendered as scapegoote—that is, "goat that escapes." The extended senses of scapegoat we use today evolved from this biblical use.
Examples of scapegoat in a Sentence
Steven Greenhut, Oc Register, 20 Mar. 2026
The technology has made dramatic advances in recent years, and tech leaders, like Jack Dorsey, blame — or maybe scapegoat — AI for job losses.
—Greg Rosalsky, NPR, 10 Mar. 2026
Jaylani Hussein, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations’ Minnesota chapter, says there’s a clear motif when isolated instances of wrongdoing are used to scapegoat an entire population.
—Danya Gainor, CNN Money, 6 Jan. 2026
On Friday, Ureña accused the government of trying to scapegoat Clinton.
—CBS News, 23 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for scapegoat
Cite this Entry
“Scapegoat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scapegoat. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
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