VICTIM Synonyms: 68 Similar and Opposite Words

victim

noun

ˈvik-təm

Definition of victim

as in fatality

a person or thing harmed, lost, or destroyed helped the victims of the fire

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in target

a person or thing that is the object of abuse, criticism, or ridicule the victim of schoolyard teasing

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in sacrifice

something offered to a god the Aztecs are believed to have sacrificed thousands of victims annually to the sun

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 victim During the investigation, police were alerted to two shooting victims who had walked into area hospitals, including Chance. — Adam Thompson, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026 Mines Minister Rufin Benam Beltoungou expressed condolences to victims’ families and warned miners about the dangers of unsafe mining practices, according to a statement posted by the ministry. — ABC News, 20 Aug. 2026 But the police also caution that many stories involving scopolamine verge on urban legend, and confirm that most criminals use other sedative drugs to manipulate their victims. — Mattha Busby, Rolling Stone, 19 Aug. 2026 The victims were outside when a dark-colored sedan drove past and someone opened fire multiple times, police said. — Deanese Williams-Harris, Chicago Tribune, 19 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for victim

Recent Examples of Synonyms for victim

Noun

Just last year, the US reached a record high of such attacks, including its first fatality since 2022, according to a report published by the Anti-Defamation League.

— Rebekah Riess, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 2026
At least 24 people died in Manggarai regency and 17 in neighboring East Manggarai, with additional fatalities reported in Sikka, Ngada and Ende regencies, the National Disaster Management Agency said.

— ABC News, ABC News, 15 Aug. 2026

Definition of fatality

Noun

Armstrong gives the Chiefs a tall target among a shorter group, and his potential as a red zone blocker should only help his case to make the 53-man roster.

— Jesse Newell, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2026
The two sides have escalated their air war on one another, with Ukraine increasingly firing barrages of drones at targets deep inside Russia, including warehouses and industrial plants as well as refineries.

— Tim Lister, CNN Money, 16 Aug. 2026

Definition of target

Noun

For Arsenal, the mission to create their best possible squad for depth and quality requires some upgrades in certain areas, and Berta won’t mind being ruthless if a sacrifice here leads to a new crowning there.

— Kaya Kaynak, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
The most common ritual practice is the giving of offerings to deities, although—in contrast to the ancient druids—the sacrifice of animals (or humans) is not practiced in modern Druidry.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of sacrifice

Noun

Both fell into the water and caused no damage or casualties, the UAE said on Wednesday.

— Jenni Reid,Emma Graham, CNBC, 19 Aug. 2026
All strategic objectives in Iran are failing, while half-hearted support for Ukraine has resulted in a devastating surge in civilian casualties.

— Letters to the Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of casualty

Noun

This is because there is a tendency for some people to fall prey to cognitive offloading, in which humans lean heavily on AI to do their critical thinking.

— Cheryl Johnson, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
Women and feminized men, in Finckenstein’s telling, were the natural prey and proof of Ebel’s corruption.

— Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026