to scapegoat

Examples

• All

• This is similar to narcissists scapegoating those whom they perceive as weak.

  DoctorRamani

• It's unfair to scapegoat anyone when the entire team contributed to the mistake.

• Of course you and your followers would just rather scapegoat President Obama and attack his character.

  Blog text (27)

• Why were they suddenly trying to scapegoat wild horses for negative effects to sage-grouse?

  Wild Beauty: Mustang Spirit of the West (2022)

• Some of the townspeople panic and scapegoat the mad real estate agent.

  Academic text (1993)

• So I felt like we were scapegoated for their failings.

  andrew gold | heretics.

• Otherwise, don't you ever dare try to scapegoat me for your party's lack of providing a viable presidential candidate.

  Blog text (9)

• We're not saying ignore legitimate concerns by the public, but don't fall into the scapegoating vulnerable minorities.

• The committee decided to scapegoat the junior staff for the project's failure instead of taking responsibility themselves.

• Politicians often scapegoat certain groups to distract the public from their own shortcomings.

Synonyms

B

to blame

vsto scapegoat

∞ 1.6

To say that someone or something caused something bad

is narrower, unfairly singling someone out to avoid one's own responsibility

P

to point fingers

vsto scapegoat

• Informal

114 4.8

To blame someone when it is not clear who is at fault

focuses on unfairly assigning blame to dodge one's own responsibility

B

to blame it on

vsto scapegoat

105 3.7

To say someone or something caused a problem

is used to unfairly single someone out to avoid personal responsibility

P

to pin on

vsto scapegoat

59 4.8

To say someone caused a problem when they did not

is used for deliberately shifting responsibility to escape personal accountability

F

to fault

vsto scapegoat

51 4.3

To blame someone for a mistake or problem

is more about unfairly making one person take responsibility to avoid personal guilt

L

to lay the blame at the feet of (someone)

vsto scapegoat

6.9

To say someone caused a problem or is at fault

is used to remove responsibility from oneself by accusing others

W

to wite

vsto scapegoat

• Archaic

9.9

To blame someone for doing something wrong

differs by focusing on unfair personal accusation to escape one’s duty

Antonyms

T

to take responsibility

324 3.3

To admit you caused a problem and accept the blame

O

to own up

• Informal

39 4.4

Admit that you did something wrong or made a mistake

How Blamed

to persecute

91 7.0

to vilify

39 7.9

to scapegoat

15 4.1

to accuse

∞ 2.7

to blame

∞ 1.6

to single out

106 4.4

Surface Forms

Etymology