scapegoat
noun
a person or group made to bear the blame for others or to suffer in their place.
scapegoats
-
pluralof scapegoat.plural
The grammatical form denoting more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The platforms make easy scapegoats, and parents’ concerns are genuine.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 19, 2026
Whatever the case, more scapegoats are almost certainly on the way.
From Salon ● Apr. 23, 2026
"I understand that populism is spreading all over the world and that people are trying to look for scapegoats, they're angry," he said.
From BBC ● Mar. 28, 2026
They organize themselves in opposition to a class of front-runners—those benefiting the most from the economy—with ire often left over for scapegoats, too.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2025
Among the many scapegoats chosen were elderly women living alone, who were charged with witchcraft: Kepler’s mother was carried away in the middle of the night in a laundry chest.
From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan
