Thesaurus results for WHIPPING BOY

whipping boy

noun

Definition of whipping boy

as in victim

a person or thing taking the blame for others used the government's economic policies as the whipping boy for every bad decision the company made

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Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of whipping boy There will always be whipping boys at the World Cup, a team who arrive underprepared or in chaos of some description. — Nick Miller, New York Times, 13 Nov. 2025 Gordie is invisible to his mother and a whipping boy to his father. — Sezin Devi Koehler September 1, EW.com, 1 Sep. 2025 Yet Hojlund only has to look at Scott McTominay and how Conte revitalised his career in Naples after years of being a United whipping boy by some sections of the fan base. — Emmet Gates, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2025 Once more, Turkey seems to have become a whipping boy for all manner of interests, some of which have little to do with the realities of Turkey itself. — Hugh Pope, Foreign Affairs, 21 Oct. 2010 See All Example Sentences for whipping boy

Recent Examples of Synonyms for whipping boy

Noun

Four people with wounds were transported to Hennepin Healthcare to be treated for their injuries, where one of the victims died, Parten said Wednesday afternoon.

— Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 3 Sep. 2026
Prosecutors argued at trial that Shirilla intentionally drove into the building to end her toxic relationship with Russo and that Flanagan was an unintended victim who happened to be in the car.

— Michael Sinkewicz, FOXNews.com, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of victim

Noun

So Republicans are desperate for something, anything, anyone — a fall guy, a scapegoat — to rant against, whip up the Republican base against, and raise money for their fall campaigns.

— Robert B. Reich, Hartford Courant, 13 Aug. 2026
Gámez asserted that he’s being set up as a fall guy for political reasons.

— Sebastian Rotella, ProPublica, 10 July 2026

Definition of fall guy

Noun

The Federal Trade Commission defines cashmere as the ultra-fine wool from the undercoat of the Cashmere (or Kashmir) goat.

— Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 27 Aug. 2026
Pedal over to the corral (kid-sized bikes are available) and say hello to the resident alpacas, goats, and bighorns.

— Allison Tibaldi, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of goat

Noun

Yes, the Algorithm is telling her that using Bernard as a scapegoat will help unify the silo and tamp down the growing unrest.

— Noel Murray, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
Maxwell, serving a 20-year sentence in a Texas federal prison camp, had argued she was selectively prosecuted as a scapegoat, but the judge dismissed those claims as frivolous.

— Michael R. Sisak, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of scapegoat

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“Whipping boy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whipping%20boy. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of whipping boy

noun

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