scapegoat
skayp goht
- n someone who is punished for the errors of others
- The rising political star commented tongue in cheek, "Any leader on a downward spiral needs a scapegoat."
- The entire team had played awfully but William, the goalkeeper, was an easy scapegoat to pick to cover the team's embarrassing defeat.
- In their embarrassment over the mutiny, some Frenchmen looked hard for some scapegoat who was not French.