victim

noun

vic·​tim ˈvik-təm 

1

: one that is acted on and usually adversely affected by a force or agent

the schools are victims of the social system

: such as

a(1)

: one that is injured, destroyed, or sacrificed under any of various conditions

a victim of cancer

a victim of the auto crash

a murder victim

(2)

: one that is subjected to oppression, hardship, or mistreatment

a frequent victim of political attacks

b

: one that is tricked or duped

a con man's victim

2

: a living being sacrificed to a deity or in the performance of a religious rite

victimhood

ˈvik-təm-ˌhu̇d 

noun

Synonyms of victim

• fatality
• casualty
• prey

Examples of victim in a Sentence

the victims of a hoax

He was the victim of an error.

Recent Examples on the Web

Both victims were under age 5 at the time of the crime, according to the statement. —Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Mar. 2026

One of those victims is the restaurant El Toro Loco Churracqueria, which has several locations, but its Little Havana location was listed in the arrest report. —Ivan Taylor, CBS News, 28 Mar. 2026

The crash prompted a large emergency response, including multiple ambulances and ambulance helicopters that transported victims to hospitals in Memphis, Nashville and Dickson, authorities said. —Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 27 Mar. 2026

An earlier version of this story incorrectly identified the victim as a fellow NYPD officer. —Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 27 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Latin victima; perhaps akin to Old High German wīh holy

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing victim

• fall victim to
• fashion victim
• victim mentality

Rhymes for victim

• dictum

Kids Definition

victim

noun

vic·​tim ˈvik-təm 

1

: a living being offered as a sacrifice in a religious rite

2

: an individual injured or killed (as by disease or accident)

3

: a person cheated, fooled, or harmed by another