as in victims
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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Recent Examples of goats
As cattle, lambs, hogs and goats weave through the show ring at The National Western Stock Show, longtime auctioneer John Korrey calls rapid-fire bids, his voice driving thousands of dollars in sales while keeping the crowd on edge.
—
Jessica Alvarado Gamez, Denver Post, 13 Jan. 2026
Nothing is a given in this league, especially for coordinators, who are the often the easiest scape goats.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 13 Jan. 2026
In Wyoming’s 352 wolves killed 41 cattle, 3 sheep, 4 goats and a horse in 2023 — less than half the animals killed by the Beyem Seyo pack in less than seven months last year.
—Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 12 Jan. 2026
Visitors can attend shows for cattle, swine, goats, sheep, horses, donkeys and poultry.
—Brayden Garcia
january 8, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Jan. 2026
For three years now, the farm has served their Nigerian Pygmy goats donated Christmas trees; free of ornaments, tinsel, and any other side dish, of course.
—Noel Brennan, CBS News, 8 Jan. 2026
Even bikes are forbidden on the main drag; the street is reserved for people and, in summer, a twice-daily parade of goats.
—Rick Steves, Chicago Tribune, 6 Jan. 2026
Many of the sanctuary's goats spend the warmer months clearing invasive plants, poison ivy and brush from overgrown areas in Rhode Island and nearby states.
—Jack Perry, The Providence Journal, 6 Jan. 2026
Solis said the leaves are generally utilized in cooking, clothing and animal feed, the latter particularly for goats.
—Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 3 Jan. 2026
Jessica Alvarado Gamez, Denver Post, 13 Jan. 2026
Nothing is a given in this league, especially for coordinators, who are the often the easiest scape goats.
—Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 13 Jan. 2026
In Wyoming’s 352 wolves killed 41 cattle, 3 sheep, 4 goats and a horse in 2023 — less than half the animals killed by the Beyem Seyo pack in less than seven months last year.
—Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 12 Jan. 2026
Visitors can attend shows for cattle, swine, goats, sheep, horses, donkeys and poultry.
—Brayden Garcia
january 8, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Jan. 2026
For three years now, the farm has served their Nigerian Pygmy goats donated Christmas trees; free of ornaments, tinsel, and any other side dish, of course.
—Noel Brennan, CBS News, 8 Jan. 2026
Even bikes are forbidden on the main drag; the street is reserved for people and, in summer, a twice-daily parade of goats.
—Rick Steves, Chicago Tribune, 6 Jan. 2026
Many of the sanctuary's goats spend the warmer months clearing invasive plants, poison ivy and brush from overgrown areas in Rhode Island and nearby states.
—Jack Perry, The Providence Journal, 6 Jan. 2026
Solis said the leaves are generally utilized in cooking, clothing and animal feed, the latter particularly for goats.
—Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 3 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for goats
Noun
-
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,
Arkansas Online,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Both victims were taken to Mount Sinai Hospital in fair condition.—
Todd Feurer,
CBS News,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Nations without trust in domestic institutions often turn outward in search of scapegoats.—
Klaus Schwab,
Time,
5 Jan. 2026
-
This time, Nixon was one of several scapegoats for a dismal 22-16 Packers loss.—
Matt Schneidman,
New York Times,
21 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
The excuses have more to do with political expediency and gas lobbying than reality.—
Anshul Gupta,
New York Daily News,
7 Jan. 2026
-
There can be no excuses because the general team performance against mid-table Fulham had plenty in common with those that had gone before it.—
James Pearce,
New York Times,
5 Jan. 2026
Noun
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However, several types of bacteria were more abundant in the monkeys who did not bathe.—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
21 Jan. 2026
-
Some players like paper-thin picks and others prefer chunky monkeys.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
19 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Goats.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/goats. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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