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
Examples of victim in a Sentence
the victims of a hoax
He was the victim of an error.
Recent Examples on the Web
The victim and his mother found the truck at the game room, according to police.
—
Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Nov. 2025
And then on Thursday, after most of the show had been written, a man collapsed in the Oval Office, generating an instantly meme-able photograph of the president staring into the camera, looking oblivious to efforts to revive the prone victim at stage left.
—Erik Adams, The Atlantic, 9 Nov. 2025
Greenberg said investigators have found 13 victims at the crash site, which matches the number of missing persons reported submitted to Louisville Metro Police.
—Killian Baarlaer, Louisville Courier Journal, 9 Nov. 2025
Although none of the victims were students, one individual was reportedly enrolled at Maryland’s Morgan State.
—Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 9 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for victim
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Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Nov. 2025
And then on Thursday, after most of the show had been written, a man collapsed in the Oval Office, generating an instantly meme-able photograph of the president staring into the camera, looking oblivious to efforts to revive the prone victim at stage left.
—Erik Adams, The Atlantic, 9 Nov. 2025
Greenberg said investigators have found 13 victims at the crash site, which matches the number of missing persons reported submitted to Louisville Metro Police.
—Killian Baarlaer, Louisville Courier Journal, 9 Nov. 2025
Although none of the victims were students, one individual was reportedly enrolled at Maryland’s Morgan State.
—Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 9 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for victim
Cite this Entry
“Victim.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/victim. Accessed 11 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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
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