as in targets
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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Recent Examples of sitting ducks
As labor complications ensue, a blizzard rages outside trapping the family in their home – sitting ducks for whatever sinister presence might be in there with them.
—
William Earl, Variety, 25 Mar. 2026
As labor complications ensue, a blizzard rages outside trapping the family in their home – sitting ducks for whatever sinister presence might be in there with them.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 11 Mar. 2026
But the companies that transport oil have parked their tankers on either side of the waterway, fearing their huge cargos would be sitting ducks for drone or missile attacks from Tehran as the war escalates.
—Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 9 Mar. 2026
Other than Adobe, which is expensive but very good, these companies are not sitting ducks.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 17 Feb. 2026
Shipping lanes suffered, neutrality became meaningless, and actual fishing vessels became sitting ducks.
—New Atlas, 28 Dec. 2025
Club owners are kind of sitting ducks.
—Keith Sharon, Nashville Tennessean, 21 Oct. 2025
Prisoners feared they were purposefully trapped in the A Tunnel, sitting ducks for a response from corrections officers.
—Michael Collins, USA Today, 14 Oct. 2025
Those lucky/sitting ducks were at the center of a manifold creative pressure, like the core of a planet pulled spherical by gravity.
—Kate Colby
october 2, Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2025
William Earl, Variety, 25 Mar. 2026
As labor complications ensue, a blizzard rages outside trapping the family in their home – sitting ducks for whatever sinister presence might be in there with them.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 11 Mar. 2026
But the companies that transport oil have parked their tankers on either side of the waterway, fearing their huge cargos would be sitting ducks for drone or missile attacks from Tehran as the war escalates.
—Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 9 Mar. 2026
Other than Adobe, which is expensive but very good, these companies are not sitting ducks.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 17 Feb. 2026
Shipping lanes suffered, neutrality became meaningless, and actual fishing vessels became sitting ducks.
—New Atlas, 28 Dec. 2025
Club owners are kind of sitting ducks.
—Keith Sharon, Nashville Tennessean, 21 Oct. 2025
Prisoners feared they were purposefully trapped in the A Tunnel, sitting ducks for a response from corrections officers.
—Michael Collins, USA Today, 14 Oct. 2025
Those lucky/sitting ducks were at the center of a manifold creative pressure, like the core of a planet pulled spherical by gravity.
—Kate Colby
october 2, Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sitting ducks
Noun
-
Consumers have seen prices jump by a $1 at the pump over the month, while the United States, Israel and Iran enter a new phase in the ongoing war, in which oil and gas have become key targets for both sides.—
Kate Perez,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Other targets, according to a post on X, included command centers, posts of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, air defense systems, ballistic missile sites, navy ships and submarines as well as anti-ship missiles sites, drone manufacturing and other weapon production facilities.—
NPR Staff,
NPR,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Both victims were under age 5 at the time of the crime, according to the statement.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Police also said that Marrero did not make payments to the IRS when he was supposed to, which raised his victims' alarms.—
Ivan Taylor,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sitting ducks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sitting%20ducks. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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