whipping boys

Definition of whipping boysnext
plural of whipping boy
as in victims
a person or thing taking the blame for others used the government's economic policies as the whipping boy for every bad decision the company made

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for whipping boys
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
Noun
  • Pet and cuddle sessions are about 35 minutes long and include time with the farm's goats and babies.
    Susan McDonald, The Providence Journal, 26 Mar. 2026
  • Good Growth, which operates the Regenerative Cashmere Initiative in Mongolia, received a donation of $50,000 from Everlane toward its efforts to benefit more than 40 herder families, 8,000 goats and 113,000 acres of grassland.
    Jennifer Bringle, Sourcing Journal, 23 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • The excuses really don’t matter.
    Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 29 Mar. 2026
  • These things are presented not as potential excuses for the Current’s one-win/two-loss start, but as context around it.
    Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 27 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Black folks have been used as scapegoats for the rising government budgets, and anti-Black stereotypes fueled voters to significantly reduce access to affordable healthcare and educational assistance.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 Mar. 2026
  • Americans are burned-out, frustrated, and hunting for scapegoats.
    Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 27 Mar. 2026
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Whipping boys.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whipping%20boys. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.

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