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 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 Still, having his excoriating assessments collected between hard covers makes for a powerful indictment, the more so because Boehner’s book vividly captures the growing horror of a bartender’s kid who evolved from a reflexive Democrat to a Reagan Republican to a tea party whipping boy. Washington Post, 9 Apr. 2021 The weaponization subcommittee’s foremost target will be the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which during Trump’s presidency became a whipping boy for the right, contradicting the GOP’s claim to champion law and order. Timothy Noah, The New Republic, 21 Feb. 2023 Jamie, the lawyer, is the resident whipping boy, the black sheep whose ambitions surpass his mettle. Lauren Michele Jackson, The New Yorker, 4 Feb. 2023 See All Example Sentences for whipping boy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whipping boy
Noun
  • The victim, who suffered a laceration to the head, was transported by EMS to Lincoln Hospital, where he was listed in stable condition.
    Nicholas Williams, New York Daily News, 28 May 2025
  • The victims included at least 10 women, the Livingston Daily reported, including one victim recorded at least 540 times.
    Mike Stunson, Kansas City Star, 27 May 2025
Noun
  • Otherwise, what really changes, other than losing another fall guy?
    Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 11 May 2025
  • Waltz has been seen as a potential fall guy, but even before Trump’s public vote of confidence, there were questions about whether anyone would be punished, particularly because it might be seen as a capitulation to Democrats and the news media.
    Brett Samuels, The Hill, 25 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Participants still run a pet center, but also work at a farmyard with cows, goats and other animals, a restaurant and bakery, a country store, a thrift shop, and Lambs Industries, which offers production services, such as assembling, sorting or packaging products.
    Robert McCoppin, Chicago Tribune, 24 May 2025
  • Six deceased animals were also found on the property, including a dead baby goat found in a Tupperware bin in the kitchen.
    Latoya Gayle, People.com, 23 May 2025
Noun
  • And what is a podcast, after all, if not an excuse to hang out with people who seem cool?
    Rebecca Jennings, Vulture, 28 May 2025
  • Wednesday, May 28, is National Hamburger Day, giving burger chains an excuse to offer their customers some deals.
    Fielding Buck, Oc Register, 28 May 2025
Noun
  • That mediocrity requires a scapegoat for public relations purposes. ...
    Peter Chawaga, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 May 2025
  • Since Mother Nature cannot be sued, utilities make handy scapegoats with deep pockets.
    Jay L. Zagorsky, The Conversation, 1 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Whipping boy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whipping%20boy. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.

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