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
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
When Trump loses, Fox will be a whipping boy.
—Alex Shephard, The New Republic, 6 Nov. 2020
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
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
When Trump loses, Fox will be a whipping boy.
—Alex Shephard, The New Republic, 6 Nov. 2020
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
-
Remoteness draws the witness — or victim — forward and into the circle of the predator’s personality.—
Bryan Alexander,
USA Today,
20 Oct. 2025
-
And at its climax, the Grabber, the franchise killer played by Ethan Hawke, gracefully stalks his victims on ice skates, ready to lop some heads with an axe.—
Jack Dunn,
Variety,
20 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The Bellows fall guy here is Darrin’s boss, Larry Tate, who suspects something but can never prove it.—
Jim Clash,
Forbes.com,
4 Aug. 2025
-
Despite his discomfort, the former star yen derivatives trader for UBS and Citigroup has become globally recognized, some might say, as a fall guy for the Libor scandal, which involved myriad actors, including bankers, banks, and even world governments.—
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez,
Fortune,
29 July 2025
Noun
-
Around that time, my professional life was the same goat rodeo as my running.—
Nicholas Thompson,
The Atlantic,
23 Oct. 2025
-
There’s a haunted corn maze, marigold fields, bounceland, Jurassic Fright, a tractor ride and sheep, goats and rabbits.—
Abby Hamblin,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
There is simply no excuse for it.—
Peter Aitken,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Oct. 2025
-
Wear them on a casual hike or during your morning coffee run—you’ll find endless excuses to break them out of your suitcase this season.—
Merrell Readman,
Travel + Leisure,
18 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Some say Batts was innocent, a scapegoat in a drama that turned a ghost story into the tale of the Bell Witch.—
Craig Shoup,
Nashville Tennessean,
21 Oct. 2025
-
Attorney Stephen Imm said Theetge is a scapegoat for the rising concerns over crime in the city.—
David Ferrara,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
21 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Whipping boy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whipping%20boy. Accessed 25 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share