scapegoat Definition
a person who is blamed for the wrongdoings, mistakes, or faults of others, especially for reasons of expediency.
Using scapegoat: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "scapegoat" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
The CEO made him the scapegoat for the company's financial losses.
Example
The politician used immigrants as a scapegoat for the country's problems.
Example
The coach made the goalkeeper the scapegoat for the team's defeat.
scapegoat Synonyms and Antonyms
Phrases with scapegoat
Example
The manager made her a scapegoat for the team's poor performance.
a psychological theory that explains how individuals or groups project their own negative traits onto others, blaming them for their own shortcomings
Example
The scapegoat mechanism is often used in politics to deflect attention from the real issues.
a religious or cultural practice in which a person or animal is symbolically burdened with the sins or misfortunes of the community and then expelled or sacrificed
Example
The scapegoat ritual was an important part of ancient Jewish and pagan traditions.
Origins of scapegoat
from Hebrew 'azazel', meaning 'complete removal'
Summary: scapegoat in Brief
'Scapegoat' [skeyp-goht] refers to a person who is unfairly blamed for the mistakes or faults of others. It is often used in politics and business to deflect attention from the real issues. The phrase 'make someone a scapegoat' means to unfairly blame someone for something that has gone wrong.
