whipping boy

Definition of whipping boynext
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 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 As head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Fauci has become a standard whipping boy for conservatives pushing back against anti-pandemic restrictions, but few politicians have placed him at the center of their outreach to their political base like DeSantis. Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 4 Aug. 2021 When Trump loses, Fox will be a whipping boy. Alex Shephard, The New Republic, 6 Nov. 2020 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
  • An Urban Pathways spokeswoman expressed condolences to the victims and their families in a statement.
    Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 2 May 2026
  • Officials said that after Cooper’s arrest, the first victim, a runaway, was crying hysterically and denied any involvement in prostitution.
    Samantha Lee, Los Angeles Times, 2 May 2026
Noun
  • In real life, Miller takes the ribbing well, happy to be his friend’s fall guy for the purposes of narrative structure.
    Jack Crosbie, Rolling Stone, 7 Apr. 2026
  • The Jewish state, as usual, makes a handy fall guy.
    Max Boot, Washington Post, 23 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Birría begins with a whole young goat that Oceguera picks up from Nea Agora Packing on Taylor Street, as his parents did.
    Louisa Kung Liu Chu, Chicago Tribune, 28 Apr. 2026
  • Power outages also prevent Obiols Sobredo from grinding food for his goats, which produce less milk because of insufficient nutrition.
    ABC News, ABC News, 27 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Looking for an excuse to eat, drink and be merry this weekend?
    Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 Apr. 2026
  • At Dos Pueblos High in Goleta, baseball coach George Hedricks needed no excuses to start freshman Mattias Di Maggio, considering last name of DiMaggio is one of the best baseball names in the history of the sport.
    Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Sending out the scapegoats in a van advertising unemployed coaches is next-level stuff.
    Zach Dean OutKick, FOXNews.com, 27 Apr. 2026
  • But the good times ended when Nirvana’s label reps decided the album sounded too raw for mainstream consumption and allegedly positioned Albini as a scapegoat for a potentially bad-sounding record.
    Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 20 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Whipping boy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whipping%20boy. Accessed 3 May. 2026.

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