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Definitions from WordNet

Definitions from the Web

Scapegoat

Definition: A scapegoat is a person or thing that is blamed or punished for the mistakes, faults, or sins of others, often in order to divert attention or responsibility away from themselves.

Part of Speech: Noun

Sense 1:

Usage: In a social or professional context

Definition: A person who is unfairly made to bear the blame or punishment for the wrongdoings of others.

Example Sentence: The CEO made the new intern the scapegoat for the company's recent financial losses.

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Sense 2:

Usage: In a religious or cultural context

Definition: A goat symbolically burdened with the sins of a community, which is then sent away into the wilderness, as described in some ancient rituals and traditions.

Example Sentence: The annual tradition involves selecting a scapegoat to carry the collective sins of the village and releasing it into the forest.

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Part of Speech: Verb

Sense 1:

Definition: To make someone a scapegoat.

Example Sentence: The corrupt politician scapegoated her former colleague to divert attention from her own involvement in the scandal.

Part of Speech: Adjective

Sense 1:

Definition: Describing someone or something that is unfairly blamed or made to bear the blame for others' actions or mistakes.

Example Sentence: The company's failed marketing campaign became a scapegoat for its declining sales figures.

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