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
Democratic members of Congress have objected to the wave of settler violence, arguing that U.S. citizens are falling victim.
—
Noah Robertson The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 26 July 2025
Councilwoman Tammy Hawkins drew parallels to other high-profile cases, suggesting the victim, Latasha White, deserves the same level of respect and investigation as Crystal Rogers and Breonna Taylor.
—Marina Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 25 July 2025
Unhappy with Putin's lack of apology, Aliyev reiterated on Monday his demand for Russia to publicly acknowledge responsibility, punish those responsible, and compensate victims' families and the airline.
—Brendan Cole, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 July 2025
After running to the Holmes Beach Police Department around 1:37 p.m., the victim was treated at Blake Hospital.
—Michael Nied, People.com, 25 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for victim
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Noah Robertson The Washington Post, Arkansas Online, 26 July 2025
Councilwoman Tammy Hawkins drew parallels to other high-profile cases, suggesting the victim, Latasha White, deserves the same level of respect and investigation as Crystal Rogers and Breonna Taylor.
—Marina Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 25 July 2025
Unhappy with Putin's lack of apology, Aliyev reiterated on Monday his demand for Russia to publicly acknowledge responsibility, punish those responsible, and compensate victims' families and the airline.
—Brendan Cole, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 July 2025
After running to the Holmes Beach Police Department around 1:37 p.m., the victim was treated at Blake Hospital.
—Michael Nied, People.com, 25 July 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 29 Jul. 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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