scapegoat — a person who is blamed for the wrongdoings, mistakes, or faults of others
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: a person who is blamed for the wrongdoings, mistakes, or faults of others
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈskeɪpɡoʊt/
Example Sentences
- When the project failed, Sarah became the company's scapegoat even though everyone contributed to the disaster.
- My little brother always makes me the scapegoat when he breaks something and mom comes looking for answers.
- The coach was scapegoated for the team's poor season, but the real problem was lack of funding.
scapegoat
NOUN[/ˈskeɪpɡoʊt/]
a person who is blamed for the wrongdoings, mistakes, or faults of others
Blamed for others' mistakes
The scapegoat's cape flows as they escape!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
The word derives from the Hebrew Bible, specifically Leviticus, where it refers to a goat symbolically bearing the community's sins and sent into the wilderness during the Day of Atonement in ancient Israel. The term combines 'escape' and 'goat', originally meaning 'a goat that escapes', which evolved into its modern sense of 'a person blamed for others' failures'.
Breakdown
escape + goat, where 'scape' (short for escape, meaning 'to flee or depart') combines with 'goat' (the animal), creating the literal image of 'an escaping goat' that was later applied metaphorically to any innocent person blamed for collective wrongdoing.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“When the project failed, Sarah became the company's scapegoat even though everyone contributed to the disaster.”
“My little brother always makes me the scapegoat when he breaks something and mom comes looking for answers.”
“The coach was scapegoated for the team's poor season, but the real problem was lack of funding.”
“Stop trying to find a scapegoat and let's focus on solving the actual problem!”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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