as in victim
a person or thing taking the blame for others
the sandlot ball players wanted the littlest kid to be the fall guy for the broken window, figuring that he'd have the best chance of escaping punishment
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fall guy
National security adviser Michael Waltz emerges as a potential fall guy in the Signal group chat fallout.
—
Elizabeth Robinson, NBC news, 27 Mar. 2025
The Jacksonville Jaguars sacked Super Bowl-winning coach Doug Pederson on Monday in the NFL’s dark annual ritual of finding fall guys after the regular season came to an end Sunday night.
—David K. Li, NBC News, 6 Jan. 2025
Watching England as a non-white person can come with the fear that with many of the national team’s historic defeats comes a fall guy.
—Carl Anka, The Athletic, 8 July 2024
Post-failure, Lumi is the subject of a government inquest, and Pierpoint has to send a representative who will act as the bank’s face and potential fall guy.
—Nina Li Coomes, Vulture, 8 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for fall guy
Elizabeth Robinson, NBC news, 27 Mar. 2025
The Jacksonville Jaguars sacked Super Bowl-winning coach Doug Pederson on Monday in the NFL’s dark annual ritual of finding fall guys after the regular season came to an end Sunday night.
—David K. Li, NBC News, 6 Jan. 2025
Watching England as a non-white person can come with the fear that with many of the national team’s historic defeats comes a fall guy.
—Carl Anka, The Athletic, 8 July 2024
Post-failure, Lumi is the subject of a government inquest, and Pierpoint has to send a representative who will act as the bank’s face and potential fall guy.
—Nina Li Coomes, Vulture, 8 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for fall guy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fall guy
Noun
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The victim, who suffered a laceration to the head, was transported by EMS to Lincoln Hospital, where he was listed in stable condition.—
Nicholas Williams,
New York Daily News,
28 May 2025
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The victims included at least 10 women, the Livingston Daily reported, including one victim recorded at least 540 times.—
Mike Stunson,
Kansas City Star,
27 May 2025
Noun
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And what is a podcast, after all, if not an excuse to hang out with people who seem cool?—
Rebecca Jennings,
Vulture,
28 May 2025
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Wednesday, May 28, is National Hamburger Day, giving burger chains an excuse to offer their customers some deals.—
Fielding Buck,
Oc Register,
28 May 2025
Noun
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Once more, Turkey seems to have become a whipping boy for all manner of interests, some of which have little to do with the realities of Turkey itself.—
Hugh Pope,
Foreign Affairs,
21 Oct. 2010
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The Republicans and their puppet master, Donald Trump, are ginning up the machine against immigration and making Mayorkas their whipping boy for chaos at the border.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
18 Apr. 2024
Noun
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Participants still run a pet center, but also work at a farmyard with cows, goats and other animals, a restaurant and bakery, a country store, a thrift shop, and Lambs Industries, which offers production services, such as assembling, sorting or packaging products.—
Robert McCoppin,
Chicago Tribune,
24 May 2025
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Six deceased animals were also found on the property, including a dead baby goat found in a Tupperware bin in the kitchen.—
Latoya Gayle,
People.com,
23 May 2025
Noun
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That mediocrity requires a scapegoat for public relations purposes. ...—
Peter Chawaga,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 May 2025
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Since Mother Nature cannot be sued, utilities make handy scapegoats with deep pockets.—
Jay L. Zagorsky,
The Conversation,
1 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fall guy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fall%20guy. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.
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