victim

noun

vic·​tim ˈvik-təm 

1

: one that is acted on and usually adversely affected by a force or agent

the schools are victims of the social system

: such as

a(1)

: one that is injured, destroyed, or sacrificed under any of various conditions

a victim of cancer

a victim of the auto crash

a murder victim

(2)

: one that is subjected to oppression, hardship, or mistreatment

a frequent victim of political attacks

b

: one that is tricked or duped

a con man's victim

2

: a living being sacrificed to a deity or in the performance of a religious rite

victimhood

ˈvik-təm-ˌhu̇d 

noun

Synonyms

• casualty
• fatality
• loss
• prey

Examples of victim in a Sentence

the victims of a hoax

He was the victim of an error.

Recent Examples on the Web

The victim was walking in a crosswalk on Wilshire Boulevard around 6:40 p.m. Sunday when she was struck by a white Toyota RAV4 and sent flying several feet into the air, according to a video and information shared by Santa Monica police. —Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 28 Dec. 2024

All three victims were brought to Arkansas Children's Hospital in Little Rock by a 20-year-old Little Rock man who was driving the vehicle the victims were in at the time of the shooting, the release says. —Ainsley Platt, arkansasonline.com, 28 Dec. 2024

Eliot Gross, the deputy coroner of Bucks County, confirmed to USA TODAY that the female victim was Haddon. —Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY, 28 Dec. 2024

The victim was transported to the hospital and is currently in stable condition. —Phil Boucher, People.com, 27 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin victima; perhaps akin to Old High German wīh holy

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing victim

• fall victim to
• fashion victim
• victim mentality

Kids Definition

victim

noun

vic·​tim ˈvik-təm 

1

: a living being offered as a sacrifice in a religious rite

2

: an individual injured or killed (as by disease or accident)

3

: a person cheated, fooled, or harmed by another