scapegoat

1 of 2

noun

scape·​goat ˈskāp-ˌgōt 

1

: a goat upon whose head are symbolically placed the sins of the people after which he is sent into the wilderness in the biblical ceremony for Yom Kippur

2

a

: one that bears the blame for others

b

: one that is the object of irrational hostility

scapegoat

2 of 2

verb

scapegoated; scapegoating; scapegoats

transitive verb

: to make a scapegoat of

scapegoatism

ˈskāp-ˌgō-ˌti-zəm 

noun

Did you know?

On Yom Kippur, the ancient Hebrews would sacrifice one goat for God and lead another one, over whom all the sins of Israel had been confessed, into the wilderness to bear the sins of the people away. The ceremony is described in Leviticus, where it is said that one lot shall be cast for God and one for "Azazel." Modern scholars usually interpret Azazel (ʽazāzēl in Hebrew) as being the name of a demon living in the desert, but ancient biblical translators thought ʽazāzēl referred to the goat itself, apparently confusing the word with the Hebrew phrase ʽēz 'ōzēl, meaning "goat that departs." Thus, in a 16th century English translation, the word for Azazel/the goat was rendered as scapegoote—that is, "goat that escapes." The extended senses of scapegoat we use today evolved from this biblical use.

Synonyms

Noun

• fall guy
• goat
• whipping boy

Examples of scapegoat in a Sentence

Noun

The CEO was made the scapegoat for the company's failures.

companies often use the economy as a scapegoat to avoid taking responsibility for dropping sales

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

This past year many CEOs have proven more than willing to use AI as a scapegoat for trimming headcounts. —Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 24 Nov. 2024

The animals are scapegoats for populist unrest, and the tribulations of goat-professor Dr. Dillamond spur protagonist Elphaba to travel to the Emerald City and rebel against the Wizard. —Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 22 Nov. 2024

Verb

When disruption occurs, that path may be broken, so focus on previously unseen solutions, not scapegoats. —Meridith Alexander, Forbes, 13 Sep. 2024

Convenient scapegoats Trump also talks about the high cost of housing, but ironically for a man who sees himself as a great builder, the former president hasn’t called for more construction. —Binyamin Appelbaum, The Mercury News, 29 Aug. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

scape entry 1; intended as translation of Hebrew ʽazāzēl (probably name of a demon), as if ʽēz 'ōzēl goat that departs—Leviticus 16:8 (King James Version)

First Known Use

Noun

1530, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1943, in the meaning defined above

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Kids Definition

scapegoat

noun

scape·​goat

ˈskāp-ˌgōt

: a person or thing taking the blame for others