victim

noun

vic·tim | \ ˈvik-təm

Definition of victim

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

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Examples of victim in a Sentence

the victims of a hoax He was the victim of an error.

Recent Examples on the Web

As with similar compensation funds in other dioceses, including New York, victims will have a window of time to submit claims. — Ian Lovett, WSJ, "California Catholic Dioceses Launch Victim Compensation Funds," 14 May 2019 They were upset by the nature of the event held in a nearby high school’s gym, which was intended to honor the shooting’s victim and other young heroes who intervened to stop the shooting. — Lucy Diavolo, Teen Vogue, "Students Walked Out of a Vigil for the STEM School Highlands Ranch Shooting After Politicians Spoke," 9 May 2019 She and Harry paid a surprise visit to New Zealand House in London to honor the victims of the Christchurch shootings back in March. — Erica Gonzales, Harper's BAZAAR, "Meghan Markle Wears a White Dress for First Photos with the Royal Baby," 8 May 2019 The victim of horrific beatings, Wise carries with him trauma that the others acknowledge is on a different level. — Alex Bhattacharji, Town & Country, "When They See Us," 8 May 2019 Among the most popular victims of the boom has been Yosemite's Half Dome. — David Grossman, Popular Mechanics, "Despite Increased Safety, People Keep Getting Hurt at Yosemite's Half Dome," 3 May 2019 Congratulations are in order to an elite squad known as the special victims unit. — Jennifer Aldrich, Country Living, "Mariska Hargitay Had the Most Emotional Response to the Historic 'Law & Order: SVU' News," 6 Apr. 2019 In a severe disaster, roads and airports are closed, and victims are often panicked and disorganized. — Kelsey Piper, Vox, "Why disaster relief is so hard," 25 Mar. 2019 Of course, Fred could be killed off, a victim of Hiram Lodge, Gladys Jones, the Gargoyle King, or one of the many other villains on the show. — Carolyn Twersky, Seventeen, "What Will Happen to "Riverdale" Following Luke Perry's Death?," 4 Mar. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'victim.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.