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
-
As volatility rises, managers do not need to take as large positions to meet return targets, Wrobel said.—
Hugh Leask,
CNBC,
5 June 2026
-
His father was a bombardier-navigator who was among the first American bombers during World War II to land at Soviet airfields to refuel and rearm, enabling the Allies to reach distant German targets.—
Julie K. Brown,
Miami Herald,
4 June 2026
Noun
-
Newsom’s office said Thursday that the state is providing assistance to victims, family members and witnesses of the mosque shooting.—
Teri Figueroa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 May 2026
-
The bodies of two people were found earlier this week, before crews recovered the remains of another six victims on Thursday, May 28, Longview fire chief Brad Hannig said in a press conference later that day.—
Adam England,
PEOPLE,
29 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sitting ducks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sitting%20ducks. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
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