Definition

1. Noun:
   • A person who is blamed or punished for the mistakes, sins, or faults of others, especially to divert blame from the truly responsible party. This term originates from the biblical ritual where a goat was symbolically burdened with the sins of the people and sent into the wilderness.

Usage

• The word "scapegoat" is used to identify an individual or group unjustly held responsible for a problem.
• It functions as a countable noun.
• It often appears in contexts discussing blame, injustice, politics, social dynamics, and psychology.

Examples

• Noun:
  • The manager became the scapegoat for the company's financial failure, even though the decisions were made by the board.
  • Throughout history, minority groups have often been used as scapegoats during times of social crisis.
  • He refused to be the scapegoat for his colleague's error.

Advanced Usage

• "To scapegoat (someone)": This is a verb form derived from the noun. It means to make someone a scapegoat.
  • The government tried to scapegoat immigrants for the economic downturn.
• "Scapegoating": The act or practice of blaming others.
  • The political campaign was criticized for its scapegoating of vulnerable communities.

Variants and Related Words

• Fall guy (noun, informal): A person who is left to take the blame for others.
• Whipping boy (noun): Historically, a boy educated alongside a prince who was punished for the prince's mistakes; now used similarly to scapegoat.

Synonyms

• Patsy (informal)
• Sacrificial lamb
• Victim

Related Phrases and Idioms

• "To be made a scapegoat for": To be forced into the role of a scapegoat.
  • She was made a scapegoat for the project's delay.
• "To use someone as a scapegoat": To unfairly blame someone.
  • It is unethical to use your assistant as a scapegoat for your own mistakes.

Noun

1. someone who is punished for the errors of others