victim

noun

vic·​tim ˈvik-təm 

1

: one that is acted on and usually adversely affected by a force or agent

the schools are victims of the social system

: such as

a(1)

: one that is injured, destroyed, or sacrificed under any of various conditions

a victim of cancer

a victim of the auto crash

a murder victim

(2)

: one that is subjected to oppression, hardship, or mistreatment

a frequent victim of political attacks

b

: one that is tricked or duped

a con man's victim

2

: a living being sacrificed to a deity or in the performance of a religious rite

victimhood

ˈvik-təm-ˌhu̇d 

noun

Synonyms of victim

• fatality
• casualty
• prey

Examples of victim in a Sentence

the victims of a hoax

He was the victim of an error.

Recent Examples on the Web

One of the victims, a 36-year-old man, suffered multiple gunshots to his body and was pronounced dead at the scene. —William Lee, Chicago Tribune, 18 Apr. 2026

The three other victims were taken to the hospital by private vehicle and later released, according to authorities. —Doug Myers, CBS News, 18 Apr. 2026

The social media posts did not specify the victim’s age or gender or how many times they had been shot. —Jessica Alvarado Gamez, Denver Post, 17 Apr. 2026

The footage also shows the victim confronting Lichay and Gusich, who then returned the items. —Zoey Lyttle, PEOPLE, 17 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Latin victima; perhaps akin to Old High German wīh holy

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing victim

• fall victim to
• fashion victim
• victim mentality

Rhymes for victim

• dictum

Kids Definition

victim

noun

vic·​tim ˈvik-təm 

1

: a living being offered as a sacrifice in a religious rite

2

: an individual injured or killed (as by disease or accident)

3

: a person cheated, fooled, or harmed by another