whipping boy

American  

noun

1. a person who is made to bear the blame for another's mistake; scapegoat.

2. (formerly) a boy educated along with and taking punishment in place of a young prince or nobleman.

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whipping boy British  

noun

1. a person of little importance who is blamed for the errors, incompetence, etc, of others, esp his superiors; scapegoat

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whipping boy Idioms  

1. A scapegoat, as in This department's always been the whipping boy when things don't go well. This expression alludes to the former practice of keeping a boy to be whipped in place of a prince who was to be punished. [Early 1900s]

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Etymology

Origin of whipping boy

First recorded in 1640–50

Example Sentences

In a tough financial climate post-Covid, Newcastle have been the whipping boys of the Premiership in recent seasons.

From BBC

It was a solid game and I wanted to show a bit of love to Leicester because they've been the whipping boys all season.

From BBC

As creators and consumers, educators and entertainers, whipping boys, final girls, sidekicks and suicides, queer people have, often invisibly, sometimes tragically, always forcefully shaped American culture, particularly through the prism of Hollywood.

From Los Angeles Times

Toyota’s faith in democratizing hybrid technology turned the company, once an environmental darling, into a whipping boy as it was widely accused of foot-dragging over electric vehicles.

From New York Times

"We have been described as the whipping boys of this group haven't we? Which we wouldn't have any other way," Sanderson added.

From BBC

Related Words

• fall guy
• patsy
• scapegoat