whipping boy

noun

1
: a boy formerly educated with a prince and punished in his stead
2

Examples of whipping boy in a Sentence

used the government's economic policies as the whipping boy for every bad decision the company made
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Yet Hojlund only has to look at Scott McTominay and how Conte revitalised his career in Naples after years of being a United whipping boy by some sections of the fan base. Emmet Gates, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2025 The Republicans and their puppet master, Donald Trump, are ginning up the machine against immigration and making Mayorkas their whipping boy for chaos at the border. New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 18 Apr. 2024 Toyota’s faith in democratizing hybrid technology turned the company, once an environmental darling, into a whipping boy as it was widely accused of foot-dragging over electric vehicles. Lawrence Ulrich, New York Times, 17 Jan. 2024 The weaponization subcommittee’s foremost target will be the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which during Trump’s presidency became a whipping boy for the right, contradicting the GOP’s claim to champion law and order. Timothy Noah, The New Republic, 21 Feb. 2023 See All Example Sentences for whipping boy

Word History

First Known Use

1647, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of whipping boy was in 1647

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Cite this Entry

“Whipping boy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whipping%20boy. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

whipping boy

noun
whip·​ping boy
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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