more sinned against than sinning

1. An expression used of those who, though they may be guilty of wrongdoing, think themselves the victim of a more serious wrong. From William Shakespeare's King Lear.

Idioms and Phrases

Less guilty than those who have injured one, as in It's true she took the money but they did owe her quite a bit—in a way she's more sinned against than sinning. This expression comes from Shakespeare's King Lear (3:2), where the King, on the heath during a storm, so describes his plight.

Example Sentences

Lear, though “more sinned against than sinning,” recognizes only after it’s too late the error in judgment that led to the devastation from which there can be no return.

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The character is usually a bit of a madman, and this Nemo — pigheaded, bossy — is not wholly an exception, though he is also a young, smoldering, swashbuckling hero and a man more sinned against than sinning.

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More sinned against than sinning, this Billy is largely a victim of circumstances, backed into a corner by life until his only option is to come out shooting.

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Even if your daughters are, in some sense, more sinned against than sinning, you could reasonably worry that putting resources in their hands will allow them to support destructive causes.

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He insists he is a man more sinned against than sinning and is working with lawyers to clear his name.

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