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Scapegoat for Dummies

noun

pronunciation: 'skeɪp,ɡoʊt

What does Scapegoat really mean?

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Hey there! So, you're wondering what the word "scapegoat" means, huh? Well, let me break it down for you in the simplest way possible, using easy words that we can both understand.

Imagine you and your friends are playing a game together. Sometimes, when a mistake happens, like someone accidentally breaking a window or dropping something important, people may want to find someone to blame for it. It's like saying, "Hey, it's not my fault, it's their fault!"

Well, a scapegoat is kinda like that person who gets blamed for something even if they didn't really do it or have no control over it. It's like being unfairly singled out and held responsible for something that you didn't actually do.

Sometimes, in a group or even in society, people might need someone to blame when things go wrong, instead of taking responsibility themselves. And that's where the term "scapegoat" comes from. It's like assigning blame to someone, even if they're innocent, just to make everyone else feel better or avoid facing the real problem.

But wait, there's more! The word "scapegoat" can also be used in a religious or historical context. In some ancient cultures, they used to perform a ritual where they would put all the bad things that happened to them onto a goat and then send it away. So, that poor goat was like a symbol for all the bad stuff that needed to be driven out or punished, even if it wasn't its fault at all.

So, to sum it up, a scapegoat is someone who gets unfairly blamed for something they didn't do, just to make others feel better or avoid taking responsibility. It's like being the "fall guy" or the person who takes the blame so others can escape their own guilt. It's not a nice thing to do to someone, right? We should always try to be fair and take responsibility for our own actions.

I hope that clears things up for you! If you have any more questions, feel free to ask.

Revised and Fact checked by Stephanie Wilson on 2023-10-30 00:33:06

Scapegoat In a sentece

Learn how to use Scapegoat inside a sentece

  • John was always blamed for the class's misbehavior even though he didn't do anything wrong. He became the scapegoat.
  • The company's CEO blamed the failure of the project on one employee, making him the scapegoat.
  • In the story, the evil stepmother made Cinderella the scapegoat for all the family's problems.
  • During recess, a student purposely broke a window and blamed another student as the scapegoat.
  • When the group project didn't go as planned, the team chose Jack as the scapegoat and blamed him for all the mistakes.

Scapegoat Synonyms

Words that can be interchanged for the original word in the same context.

Scapegoat Hypernyms

Words that are more generic than the original word.