Definition of goatnext
as in victim
a person or thing taking the blame for others an unhappy childhood was the goat he used to rationalize every failure and shortcoming

Synonyms & Similar Words

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go at

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phrase

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of goat
Noun
She’s loved by her family of humans (the Osteens) and other farm animals (including Elsie the cow; goats Honey, Dolly, Roger, Polly and Dodger; and Tom, the king of the turkeys who stalks around his enclosure like a pharaoh). Emily L. Mahoney, Miami Herald, 4 Sep. 2026 That figure covers all rabies exposures in the state, not just people exposed to the infected goats. Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2026
Phrase
Foldable smartphones have been around since the Royole FlexPai went on sale in China in 2018 (the Samsung Fold followed the next year), but Apple’s first go at the form looks appealing enough to elevate it from its current niche position. Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 9 Sep. 2026 This was close to giving us a straight out of a nature documentary look at what would happen if an alligator and a black bear ever went at it in the wild. Sean Joseph Outkick, FOXNews.com, 6 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for goat
Recent Examples of Synonyms for goat
Noun
  • The victims and the first responders were honored before the game.
    Ian O'Connor, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026
  • In practice, though, victims of instant-payment fraud often recover little.
    Pawan Jain, The Conversation, 14 Sep. 2026
Phrase
  • There is always an excuse for an impromptu barbecue, either with meat or, even better, fresh seafood; almost every group of friends here has at least one good fisherman.
    Chadner Navarro, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Brown had at least 1,000 yards receiving and seven touchdown catches in six of his first seven seasons, including 1,003 yards and seven touchdowns on 78 catches with the Eagles last year.
    CBS News, CBS News, 10 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Sara Amundson, president of the Humane World Action Fund, called wolves a scapegoat for broader challenges facing ranchers.
    Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Yes, the Algorithm is telling her that using Bernard as a scapegoat will help unify the silo and tamp down the growing unrest.
    Noel Murray, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Arteta and Arsenal had no need for excuses this time around, though, with Martin Odegaard scoring a late winner after a convincing team performance at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.
    Art de Roché, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • That’s not to make excuses, but to put in context, what is also a sputtering, screwball-y film about masculine roles in a waning patriarchal society.
    Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 11 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Goat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/goat. Accessed 17 Sep. 2026.

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