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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 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
-
And some in the administration believe there are still more economic targets that can be hit that would put the economic hurt on Iran, including bonyads, the charitable trusts that account for a significant percentage of the Iranian economy.—
Fatima Hussein,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Each of the plaintiffs in this new suit, excluding Colin Albert, are the targets of Read’s own lawsuit first filed in Bristol County and then transferred to federal court in Boston.—
Flint McColgan,
Boston Herald,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
One of the victims, a 36-year-old man, suffered multiple gunshots to his body and was pronounced dead at the scene.—
William Lee,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Apr. 2026
-
The three other victims were taken to the hospital by private vehicle and later released, according to authorities.—
Doug Myers,
CBS News,
18 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sitting ducks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sitting%20ducks. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
