scapegoats

plural of scapegoat
as in victims
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

Relevance

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 scapegoats The hypocrisy of a society continually looking for scapegoats to assign blame while refusing to examine its own dark heart provides a semblance of subtext. David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 5 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scapegoats
Noun
  • The motion is still pending, and families of the crash victims urged the court to reject it.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 15 Sep. 2025
  • Pep Guardiola’s City have been creating and exploiting pockets of space for many seasons now, and their neighbours were just the latest victims.
    Ahmed Walid, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • When sheriff’s deputies were raiding his home in May, Mutch had excuses for both alleged crimes, according to the criminal complaint.
    Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 16 Sep. 2025
  • Bad Wi-Fi is basically a modern tragedy, and there are no excuses for living like that in 2025 anymore.
    PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 15 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The $1,850 scarves start with 400 grams of raw cashmere sheared from the undercoat of high-altitude hircus goats.
    Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 13 Sep. 2025
  • Guests can rent the house, feed goats and alpacas, and get married in the on-site chapel.
    Brandon Kochkodin, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Scapegoats.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scapegoats. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on scapegoats

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!