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
Examples of victim in a Sentence
the victims of a hoax
He was the victim of an error.
Recent Examples on the Web
The study, the first of its kind locally, was conducted by Sojourner Family Peace Center in Milwaukee, the state's largest advocacy organization for victims of domestic violence.
—
Ashley Luthern, jsonline.com, 27 Oct. 2025
The Chester County District Attorney’s Office reported multiple victims and asked the public to avoid the area, according to a post on Facebook.
—Emma Tucker, CNN Money, 26 Oct. 2025
However, her family has widely disputed both ideas, and instead have looked to evidence suggesting Bradley may have been a victim of human trafficking while on board the ship.
—Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 26 Oct. 2025
Authorities believe that there may be additional victims and ask anyone with similar experiences or additional information to contact RCPD at 650-780-7100.
—Caelyn Pender, Mercury News, 26 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for victim
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.
Ashley Luthern, jsonline.com, 27 Oct. 2025
The Chester County District Attorney’s Office reported multiple victims and asked the public to avoid the area, according to a post on Facebook.
—Emma Tucker, CNN Money, 26 Oct. 2025
However, her family has widely disputed both ideas, and instead have looked to evidence suggesting Bradley may have been a victim of human trafficking while on board the ship.
—Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 26 Oct. 2025
Authorities believe that there may be additional victims and ask anyone with similar experiences or additional information to contact RCPD at 650-780-7100.
—Caelyn Pender, Mercury News, 26 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for victim
Cite this Entry
“Victim.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/victim. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share