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
Lawmakers complained when the Justice Department made only a limited release last month, but officials said more time was needed to review an additional trove of documents that was discovered and to scour the records to ensure no sensitive information about victims was inadvertently released.
—
Arkansas Online, 31 Jan. 2026
This has already hit multiple countries and claimed tens of thousands of victims and will now evolve.
—Zak Doffman, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
In the car, when Irvin briefly turned his attention away from the victim, the man reached for his own gun and shot Irvin three times in the head.
—Sam Charles, Chicago Tribune, 30 Jan. 2026
Kids comb case files, contact local authorities, and even interview a victim, all of which expose each young detective to disturbing images, ideas, and theories.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for victim
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Arkansas Online, 31 Jan. 2026
This has already hit multiple countries and claimed tens of thousands of victims and will now evolve.
—Zak Doffman, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
In the car, when Irvin briefly turned his attention away from the victim, the man reached for his own gun and shot Irvin three times in the head.
—Sam Charles, Chicago Tribune, 30 Jan. 2026
Kids comb case files, contact local authorities, and even interview a victim, all of which expose each young detective to disturbing images, ideas, and theories.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for victim
Cite this Entry
“Victim.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/victim. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
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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