as in target
a person or thing that is the object of abuse, criticism, or ridicule
those stupid comments just made him a sitting duck for comedians
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sitting duck
Newsom is a sitting duck waiting to get shellacked.
—
Joe Battenfeld, Boston Herald, 30 Aug. 2025
Without the government’s ability to share robust intelligence about new attack methods, SMBs become sitting ducks for cybercriminals who specifically target organizations that can’t afford to lose days or weeks.
—Cynthia Kaiser, Fortune, 17 Aug. 2025
Humans are sitting ducks for this application of an intimate, emotional chat bot that provides constant validation without the friction of having to deal with another person’s needs.
—Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 22 June 2025
Drones like the Shahed which fly in a straight line with no attempt to evade ought to be sitting ducks.
—David Hambling, Forbes.com, 16 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for sitting duck
Joe Battenfeld, Boston Herald, 30 Aug. 2025
Without the government’s ability to share robust intelligence about new attack methods, SMBs become sitting ducks for cybercriminals who specifically target organizations that can’t afford to lose days or weeks.
—Cynthia Kaiser, Fortune, 17 Aug. 2025
Humans are sitting ducks for this application of an intimate, emotional chat bot that provides constant validation without the friction of having to deal with another person’s needs.
—Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 22 June 2025
Drones like the Shahed which fly in a straight line with no attempt to evade ought to be sitting ducks.
—David Hambling, Forbes.com, 16 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for sitting duck
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sitting duck
Noun
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Then, the scammers build fake profiles on Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat, which includes sending friend requests to people in the target's social media network to give the appearance of mutual friends.—
Molly Beck,
jsonline.com,
14 Oct. 2025
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Ukraine has long sought more air defense as Russia has heavily relied on drone and missile assaults to pound civilian targets, including residential buildings, schools as well as maternity and children’s hospitals, since the onslaught of the war.—
Caitlin McFall,
FOXNews.com,
14 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The victims' identities were not released.—
NPR,
NPR,
13 Oct. 2025
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Monday’s sentencing marks the end of a years-long legal battle between Laffitte and his victims, after Laffitte was reportedly the first to face federal charges as investigators looked to take down the Murdaugh empire.—
Julia Bonavita,
FOXNews.com,
13 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sitting duck.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sitting%20duck. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.
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