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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of fall guy
In San Diego, he was doomed by an ownership change, becoming a convenient fall guy for delusional former Miami Dolphins executive Mike Dee.
—
Troy Renck, Denver Post, 4 Dec. 2025
The perfect fall guy Hayes’ lawsuit paints a damning picture of how UBS allegedly planned his downfall.
—Lily Mae Lazarus, Fortune, 7 Nov. 2025
Which makes Ten Hag an invaluable fall guy.
—Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, New York Times, 31 Oct. 2025
The Bellows fall guy here is Darrin’s boss, Larry Tate, who suspects something but can never prove it.
—Jim Clash, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fall guy
Troy Renck, Denver Post, 4 Dec. 2025
The perfect fall guy Hayes’ lawsuit paints a damning picture of how UBS allegedly planned his downfall.
—Lily Mae Lazarus, Fortune, 7 Nov. 2025
Which makes Ten Hag an invaluable fall guy.
—Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, New York Times, 31 Oct. 2025
The Bellows fall guy here is Darrin’s boss, Larry Tate, who suspects something but can never prove it.
—Jim Clash, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fall guy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fall guy
Noun
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Employing a cast of non-professional locals, the film playfully interrogates the brutal but bungled occupation while also allowing its actors — many of whom are descendants of the fascists’ victims — to reinterpret and reclaim a chapter in their city’s past.—
Christopher Vourlias,
Variety,
15 May 2026
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Not the only victim The Miami-Dade case is not the only time Readon has been accused by investigators of defrauding homeowners.—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
15 May 2026
Noun
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His excuses ranged from being too cold, to not having his phone or watch on him, to being a chill person who doesn’t like to show up early to the tee.—
Alex Kirshner,
New York Times,
15 May 2026
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So there’s no excuse not to finalize this deal promptly regardless of whether that induces a hissy fit from United Here and the Chicago Federation of Labor.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
14 May 2026
Noun
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The middle class or big corporations don’t want to become the mayor’s whipping boy.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
20 Feb. 2026
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There will always be whipping boys at the World Cup, a team who arrive underprepared or in chaos of some description.—
Nick Miller,
New York Times,
13 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Elsewhere, herds of goats are used to naturally manage undergrowth across the estate’s forests, helping reduce fire risk in the region’s increasingly dry climate.—
Rhonda Richford,
Footwear News,
12 May 2026
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Over the last week, the San Diego Humane Society has removed 446 cats, 30 dogs and dozens of other animals, including goats, alpacas, pigs, ducks, donkeys, geese and chickens from the property in Julian.—
Hannah Fry,
Los Angeles Times,
9 May 2026
Noun
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Which is not to say that they’re never jettisoned as a scapegoat.—
Hannah Keyser,
CNN Money,
15 May 2026
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Trump — who is widely unpopular in California outside his conservative base — was frequently denounced by Democrats, while Republicans said he was being used as a convenient scapegoat for the failures of the state's Democratic leadership.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
5 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Fall guy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fall%20guy. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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