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 When Trump loses, Fox will be a whipping boy. Alex Shephard, The New Republic, 6 Nov. 2020 As head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Fauci has become a standard whipping boy for conservatives pushing back against anti-pandemic restrictions, but few politicians have placed him at the center of their outreach to their political base like DeSantis. Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 4 Aug. 2021 Still, having his excoriating assessments collected between hard covers makes for a powerful indictment, the more so because Boehner’s book vividly captures the growing horror of a bartender’s kid who evolved from a reflexive Democrat to a Reagan Republican to a tea party whipping boy. Washington Post, 9 Apr. 2021 The weaponization subcommittee’s foremost target will be the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which during Trump’s presidency became a whipping boy for the right, contradicting the GOP’s claim to champion law and order. Timothy Noah, The New Republic, 21 Feb. 2023 See All Example Sentences for whipping boy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whipping boy
Noun
  • The firefighter victims in the attack were identified at the news conference.
    Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2025
  • Tulsa firefighter-medics were ambushed and shot at earlier this month while treating a victim in Oklahoma, Tulsa Fire Chief Michael Baker said on KOTV-News.
    Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 1 July 2025
Noun
  • The New Zealand team Auckland City began the Club World Cup as the tournament’s fall guys, losing 10-0 against the German champions Bayern Munich, but by the end of the group stage, the semi-professional outfit earned respect by holding Boca Juniors to a draw.
    Adam Crafton, New York Times, 27 June 2025
  • Otherwise, what really changes, other than losing another fall guy?
    Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 11 May 2025
Noun
  • The restaurant has a small ranch where customers can observe a variety of exotic animals, such as Amazon cockatoos, fainting goats and the koi fish, said Silvia Duarte, who owns the business with her husband.
    Christopher Buchanan, Los Angeles Times, 27 June 2025
  • There is a 70-acre farm with hay, fresh eggs, and a handful of animals, including donkeys, goats, horses and ducks.
    Pamela McLoughlin, Hartford Courant, 7 June 2025
Noun
  • For the artist, every appearance is an excuse to adorn herself with beautiful pieces.
    Jessica Scemama, Glamour, 6 July 2025
  • National French Fry Day is observed on July 11, and this is a great excuse to try fries in some unexpected and delicious new ways.
    Aly Walansky, Forbes.com, 5 July 2025
Noun
  • There are plenty of scapegoats: The Senate’s arcane rules, or members who want to go on recess.
    Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 26 June 2025
  • Across Florida and throughout the United States, a dangerous narrative is gaining ground, one that paints immigrants as threats, strangers and scapegoats for every social and economic ill.
    Maria Revelles, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Whipping boy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whipping%20boy. Accessed 11 Jul. 2025.

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