Synonyms of scapegoat

scapegoat

noun

ˈskāp-ˌgōt 

as in victim

a person or thing taking the blame for others

companies often use the economy as a scapegoat to avoid taking responsibility for dropping sales

Synonyms & Similar Words

• victim
• excuse
• goat
• fall guy
• whipping boy
• mockery
• monkey
• fool
• butt
• dupe
• laughingstock
• mark

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of scapegoat

Maxwell, serving a 20-year sentence in a Texas federal prison camp, had argued she was selectively prosecuted as a scapegoat, but the judge dismissed those claims as frivolous. — Michael R. Sisak, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026

Meanwhile, as Whelan tries to control the situation, he is threatened by blackmail about an affair and later plots to make Slough House a scapegoat for MI5’s failures. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 17 Aug. 2026

So Republicans are desperate for something, anything, anyone — a fall guy, a scapegoat — to rant against, whip up the Republican base against, and raise money for their fall campaigns. — Robert B. Reich, Hartford Courant, 13 Aug. 2026

Ultimately, some experts say that until Europe addresses issues like unemployment and stretched public services, migration will continue to be used as a scapegoat for the continent’s socioeconomic woes. — Colette Davidson, Christian Science Monitor, 3 Aug. 2026

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