Thesaurus results for WHIPPING BOY

whipping boy

noun

Definition of whipping boy

as in victim

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

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 whipping boy There will always be whipping boys at the World Cup, a team who arrive underprepared or in chaos of some description. — Nick Miller, New York Times, 13 Nov. 2025 Gordie is invisible to his mother and a whipping boy to his father. — Sezin Devi Koehler September 1, EW.com, 1 Sep. 2025 Yet Hojlund only has to look at Scott McTominay and how Conte revitalised his career in Naples after years of being a United whipping boy by some sections of the fan base. — Emmet Gates, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2025 Once more, Turkey seems to have become a whipping boy for all manner of interests, some of which have little to do with the realities of Turkey itself. — Hugh Pope, Foreign Affairs, 21 Oct. 2010 See All Example Sentences for whipping boy

Recent Examples of Synonyms for whipping boy

Noun

The brothers previously faced rape and human trafficking charges in Britain in connection to three alleged victims, CPS said.

— Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2026
The special, produced in collaboration with the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, will honor the victims killed, and commemorate the resilience of the survivors, families, first responders, and communities whose lives were forever altered by the attacks.

— Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 9 Sep. 2026

Definition of victim

Noun

So Republicans are desperate for something, anything, anyone — a fall guy, a scapegoat — to rant against, whip up the Republican base against, and raise money for their fall campaigns.

— Robert B. Reich, Hartford Courant, 13 Aug. 2026
Gámez asserted that he’s being set up as a fall guy for political reasons.

— Sebastian Rotella, ProPublica, 10 July 2026

Definition of fall guy

Noun

The results confirmed that ancient Egyptians frequently used cow glue, as well as collagens derived from sheep, goats, horses, donkeys, and antelope.

— Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 11 Sep. 2026
Animal foods included fish, sheep, goats, cattle, boars, birds, hare, and other wild game.

— Laura Payne, Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 Sep. 2026

Definition of goat

Noun

Sara Amundson, president of the Humane World Action Fund, called wolves a scapegoat for broader challenges facing ranchers.

— Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2026
Yes, the Algorithm is telling her that using Bernard as a scapegoat will help unify the silo and tamp down the growing unrest.

— Noel Murray, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of scapegoat

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“Whipping boy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whipping%20boy. Accessed 12 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of whipping boy

noun

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