sacrificial lamb
noun
: someone or something that is deliberately sacrificed to promote a cause or for the benefit of others
… has become the sacrificial lamb to deflect criticism about exaggerated charges used to make the case for war on Iraq.—
John Diamond
John DiamondYet some women complain that they are recruited as sacrificial lambs to fill out tickets against incumbents regarded as unbeatable.—Patricia A. Avery
Patricia A. AveryExamples of sacrificial lamb in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The need to balance the books is strong, and reports in Italy suggest Yildiz could be the sacrificial lamb this summer, even if the club do qualify.
—Emmet Gates, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025
But Gu was always the low-hanging fruit, marked as the sacrificial lamb from the beginning, when the state media announced her as a formal suspect in the Heywood killing.
—Christopher K. Johnson, Foreign Affairs, 30 July 2012
However, Juve need money in order to finance these deals, and the sacrificial lamb could be midfielder Nicolo Fagioli, who could be sold for around $27m in order to bring fresh capital into the club.
—Emmet Gates, Forbes, 27 Dec. 2024
For every reality-TV reunion, there must be a sacrificial lamb — one person who becomes the target of fellow participants and producers alike.
—Laura Bradley, Vulture, 18 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for sacrificial lamb
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Emmet Gates, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025
But Gu was always the low-hanging fruit, marked as the sacrificial lamb from the beginning, when the state media announced her as a formal suspect in the Heywood killing.
—Christopher K. Johnson, Foreign Affairs, 30 July 2012
However, Juve need money in order to finance these deals, and the sacrificial lamb could be midfielder Nicolo Fagioli, who could be sold for around $27m in order to bring fresh capital into the club.
—Emmet Gates, Forbes, 27 Dec. 2024
For every reality-TV reunion, there must be a sacrificial lamb — one person who becomes the target of fellow participants and producers alike.
—Laura Bradley, Vulture, 18 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for sacrificial lamb
Cite this Entry
“Sacrificial lamb.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sacrificial%20lamb. Accessed 10 Apr. 2025.
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