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
Maybe instead of rats the cartoon should show sitting ducks.
—
Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 13 Feb. 2025
To the Mach 4 missiles, capable of taking out jets maneuvering at high speed , a Shahed is a sitting duck.
—David Hambling, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2025
This sitting duck would be another victim in the submarine’s reign of terror.
—Sean Kingsley, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Feb. 2025
The alternative: Residents risk being sitting ducks for future blazes.
Consider Pacific Palisades.
—Elizabeth Robinson, NBC News, 22 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sitting duck
Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 13 Feb. 2025
To the Mach 4 missiles, capable of taking out jets maneuvering at high speed , a Shahed is a sitting duck.
—David Hambling, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2025
This sitting duck would be another victim in the submarine’s reign of terror.
—Sean Kingsley, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Feb. 2025
The alternative: Residents risk being sitting ducks for future blazes.
Consider Pacific Palisades.
—Elizabeth Robinson, NBC News, 22 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sitting duck
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sitting duck
Noun
-
Netflix, Spotify, and YouTube are each chasing ambitious revenue targets — and lofty market caps that reflect their potential as platform giants in the race for dominance in entertainment and media.—
Jason Davis,
Forbes.com,
28 July 2025
-
The main target of the Russian attack was Starokostiantyniv, in the Khmelnytskyi region of western Ukraine, the air force said.—
Will Weissert,
Chicago Tribune,
28 July 2025
Noun
-
Democratic members of Congress have objected to the wave of settler violence, arguing that U.S. citizens are falling victim.—
Noah Robertson The Washington Post,
Arkansas Online,
26 July 2025
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Councilwoman Tammy Hawkins drew parallels to other high-profile cases, suggesting the victim, Latasha White, deserves the same level of respect and investigation as Crystal Rogers and Breonna Taylor.—
Marina Johnson,
The Courier-Journal,
25 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sitting duck.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sitting%20duck. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
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