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
  • But the jury in the federal civil lawsuit found that Moore violated Gillispie's rights by hiding evidence that would have helped Gillispie's defense and creating unfair lineup procedures for the victims.
    Laura A. Bischoff, Cincinnati Enquirer, 7 Jan. 2026
  • The victims were Kato Allen Perez, born in 1992, who was previously known to be deceased; Nikko Lee Perez, who was born in 1996; Mika Alena Perez, who was born in 1995; a second Nikko Lee Perez, who was born in 1997; and Kato Krow Perez, born in 2001.
    Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 7 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Even bikes are forbidden on the main drag; the street is reserved for people and, in summer, a twice-daily parade of goats.
    Rick Steves, Chicago Tribune, 6 Jan. 2026
  • Many of the sanctuary's goats spend the warmer months clearing invasive plants, poison ivy and brush from overgrown areas in Rhode Island and nearby states.
    Jack Perry, The Providence Journal, 6 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • The excuses have more to do with political expediency and gas lobbying than reality.
    Anshul Gupta, New York Daily News, 7 Jan. 2026
  • There can be no excuses because the general team performance against mid-table Fulham had plenty in common with those that had gone before it.
    James Pearce, New York Times, 5 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Orbán has long sought to consolidate his power through concocting scapegoats for Hungary’s ills.
    Christian Edwards, CNN Money, 19 Sep. 2025
  • The hypocrisy of a society continually looking for scapegoats to assign blame while refusing to examine its own dark heart provides a semblance of subtext.
    David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 5 Aug. 2025
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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“Whipping boys.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whipping%20boys. Accessed 9 Jan. 2026.

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