scapegoat
scapegoat
Pronunciation
/ˈskeɪpɡəʊt/
scape - /skeɪp/
/s/ - voiceless alveolar fricative
/k/ - voiceless velar stop
/eɪ/ - diphthong, moving from a mid-front unrounded vowel to a high-front unrounded vowel
/p/ - voiceless bilabial stop
goat - /ɡəʊt/
/ɡ/ - voiced velar stop
/əʊ/ - diphthong, moving from a mid-central vowel to a high-mid back rounded vowel
/t/ - voiceless alveolar stop
Word Form Variations
scapegoat (singular noun)
scapegoats (plural noun)
scapegoated (past tense verb)
scapegoating (present participle/gerund verb)
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun:
Definition 1: A person or group unfairly blamed for the mistakes or wrongdoings of others. They bear the consequences, often unjustly, to deflect responsibility from the actual culprit(s).
Synonyms: fall guy, whipping boy, patsy, victim, dupe, target
Antonyms: the actual culprit, the responsible party, the true offender, hero, paragon
Definition 2: (Less common, more historical) A person or animal symbolically burdened with the sins or misfortunes of a community and then driven away or sacrificed.
Synonyms: sacrificial lamb, offering, expiatory victim
Antonyms: benefactor, savior, redeemer
Verb:
Definition: To unfairly blame someone for something they didn't do, often to deflect attention from one's own failings or the failings of a group.
Synonyms: blame, pin the blame on, hold responsible, saddle with, burden, impute
Antonyms: exonerate, absolve, vindicate, clear, acquit, praise, credit
Adjective:
Definition: (Used attributively) Relating to or characteristic of a scapegoat; bearing the blame for others. Often used to describe a person's role or status.
Synonyms: blamed, targeted, victimized, sacrificial
Antonyms: responsible, accountable, praiseworthy, faultless
Adverb:
There isn't a commonly used adverb form of "scapegoat." You might use a phrase like "as a scapegoat" instead. For example, "He was treated as a scapegoat."
Examples of Use
News/Online Publications:
"The manager was made the scapegoat for the team's poor performance, even though several other factors contributed to their losses." (Hypothetical example, reflecting common news reporting)
"In the wake of the financial crisis, banks became the scapegoat for many people's economic woes." (Hypothetical, but reflects widespread sentiment and commentary at the time)
"Critics argue that immigrants are often scapegoated during times of economic hardship." (Hypothetical, reflecting a common social commentary)
Books:
"Lord of the Flies" by William Golding: Piggy, in many ways, becomes a scapegoat for the boys' descent into savagery. (This is an interpretive reading of the text, but a common one.)
Many historical analyses of events like the Salem Witch Trials or the Holocaust discuss the process of scapegoating and the creation of "others" to blame. (Numerous history books could be cited here; this is a general reference to a common theme in historical analysis.)
Entertainment (Film/TV):
Many films and television shows use the trope of a character being wrongly accused and becoming a scapegoat. Think of classic whodunnits or dramas where an innocent person is framed. (This is a general observation about a common narrative device.)
The concept of scapegoating is explored in various science fiction and fantasy narratives, often as a way to examine social and political dynamics.
General Public Discourse:
"Don't try to scapegoat me for your mistakes!" (This is an example of how the term might be used in everyday conversation.)
"It's easy to scapegoat individuals, but we need to look at the systemic issues." (This reflects a more thoughtful use of the term in discussions about societal problems.)
Social Media:
Online discussions often see the term "scapegoat" used in heated debates, sometimes accurately, sometimes as a way to deflect criticism. (This is a general observation about online discourse.)
10 Famous Quotes Using Scapegoat
"In every era, someone becomes the scapegoat for the system’s failure." — James Baldwin
"The scapegoat bears not guilt, but the weight of collective denial." — Carl Jung
"When fear rises, truth becomes a scapegoat." — Cornel West
"Society always finds a scapegoat before finding the cause." — Noam Chomsky
"To be a scapegoat is to be chosen by others for a crime not your own." — Elie Wiesel
"Scapegoating is the coward's justice." — Angela Davis
"The scapegoat changes, but the fear stays the same." — James Baldwin
"Before solutions, they first choose a scapegoat." — Malcolm X
"Blame is the diet of tyrants, and scapegoat their sacrifice." — Winston Churchill
"He became the scapegoat so the guilty could sleep soundly." — Arthur Miller
Etymology
Essentially, "scapegoat" comes from a combination of two words:
Scape: This part is a shortened form of "escape." Think of it like "landscape"—it relates to the idea of getting away from something.
Goat: This part is, well, a goat!
The word's origin goes back to the Hebrew Bible (Leviticus 16). In the ancient ritual of Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement), a goat was symbolically burdened with the sins of the people. The high priest would confess the sins of the Israelites over the goat's head, transferring the sins to the animal. Then, this goat was either released into the wilderness or, in some interpretations, sacrificed. This goat, carrying away the sins of the community, was the original "scapegoat."
The first recorded use of the word "scapegoat" in English appears to be in the 1530 translation of the Bible by William Tyndale. He used "scapegoat" to describe this specific ritual, translating the Hebrew word ʿăzāzēl.
So, the word literally means "the goat that escapes" or "the goat that carries away" sins. Over time, the meaning broadened beyond this specific religious context. Now, a "scapegoat" is anyone who is unfairly blamed for something, regardless of any connection to religious rituals. The core idea of transferring blame remains, even if the "sins" are now more general mistakes or wrongdoings.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Scapegoat
Phrases using "scapegoat" directly:
To make someone a scapegoat: This is the most common usage. It means to unfairly blame someone. Example: "The manager was made the scapegoat for the project's failure."
A convenient scapegoat: This emphasizes the ease with which someone is chosen to take the blame, often without justification. Example: "He became a convenient scapegoat because he was the newest employee."
To find a scapegoat: This refers to the act of looking for someone to blame, often to avoid taking responsibility. Example: "Instead of addressing the real problems, they tried to find a scapegoat."
Phrases with similar meaning (using synonyms or related concepts):
To pin the blame on (someone): This is a very common idiom for assigning blame, often unfairly.
To be the fall guy: This idiom means to take the blame for something, often to protect someone else.
To be a whipping boy: This is a more historical term for someone who takes the punishment for others' wrongdoings.
To be held responsible for: While not necessarily unfair, this phrase often implies that someone is being blamed, even if they aren't entirely at fault.
To carry the can: This means to take responsibility for something, often something unpleasant or difficult.
Original or less common phrases:
The scapegoat mentality: This refers to the tendency to look for someone to blame rather than addressing the root cause of a problem.
Scapegoat politics: This describes the practice of using a particular group or individual as a target for blame in political discourse.
The scapegoat narrative: This refers to the story or explanation that assigns blame to a scapegoat.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of scapegoat from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
