Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of whipping boy
As head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Fauci has become a standard whipping boy for conservatives pushing back against anti-pandemic restrictions, but few politicians have placed him at the center of their outreach to their political base like DeSantis.
—
Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 4 Aug. 2021
Still, having his excoriating assessments collected between hard covers makes for a powerful indictment, the more so because Boehner’s book vividly captures the growing horror of a bartender’s kid who evolved from a reflexive Democrat to a Reagan Republican to a tea party whipping boy.
—Washington Post, 9 Apr. 2021
The weaponization subcommittee’s foremost target will be the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which during Trump’s presidency became a whipping boy for the right, contradicting the GOP’s claim to champion law and order.
—Timothy Noah, The New Republic, 21 Feb. 2023
Jamie, the lawyer, is the resident whipping boy, the black sheep whose ambitions surpass his mettle.
—Lauren Michele Jackson, The New Yorker, 4 Feb. 2023
See All Example Sentences for whipping boy
Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 4 Aug. 2021
Still, having his excoriating assessments collected between hard covers makes for a powerful indictment, the more so because Boehner’s book vividly captures the growing horror of a bartender’s kid who evolved from a reflexive Democrat to a Reagan Republican to a tea party whipping boy.
—Washington Post, 9 Apr. 2021
The weaponization subcommittee’s foremost target will be the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which during Trump’s presidency became a whipping boy for the right, contradicting the GOP’s claim to champion law and order.
—Timothy Noah, The New Republic, 21 Feb. 2023
Jamie, the lawyer, is the resident whipping boy, the black sheep whose ambitions surpass his mettle.
—Lauren Michele Jackson, The New Yorker, 4 Feb. 2023
See All Example Sentences for whipping boy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for whipping boy
Noun
-
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
-
The victim, who sustained serious injuries, was transported to a local hospital.—
Christine Pelisek,
People.com,
27 May 2025
Noun
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Otherwise, what really changes, other than losing another fall guy?—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
11 May 2025
-
Waltz has been seen as a potential fall guy, but even before Trump’s public vote of confidence, there were questions about whether anyone would be punished, particularly because it might be seen as a capitulation to Democrats and the news media.—
Brett Samuels,
The Hill,
25 Mar. 2025
Noun
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While there, the King saw the cattle, sheep and goats on display, and was asked to present the Livestock Inter-Breed Championship Trophies.—
Greta Bjornson,
People.com,
3 June 2025
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Bush agreed to bring 100 of her nearly 600 head of goats and dorper sheep (a.k.a. hair sheep that molt their coats) to Mount Washington as an experiment this spring.—
Jeanette Marantos,
Los Angeles Times,
1 June 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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Frustrated with cotton traders and merchants who were smuggling goods to the Confederacy and profiting from the war, the general weaponized ancient stereotypes and antisemitic tropes about Jews and money to fabricate a scapegoat.—
Time,
Time,
3 June 2025
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Here’s how many state politicians deal with it: by seeking out scapegoats.—
U T Editorial Board,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
30 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Whipping boy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/whipping%20boy. Accessed 9 Jun. 2025.
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