scapegoat


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make (one) the scapegoat (for something)

To wrongly attribute all of the blame for some negative situation or outcome to one particular person, whether or not they deserve some (or any) of the blame at all. Once it was discovered that I played a part in developing the company's scheme that robbed millions of people of their pensions, the mainstream media made me the scapegoat for the whole thing. Instead of trying to make someone the scapegoat for this problem, why don't you spend that energy trying to come up with a solution?
See also: make, scapegoat
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

make someone the scapegoat for something

to make someone take the blame for something. They made Tom the scapegoat for the whole affair. It wasn't all his fault. Don't try to make me the scapegoat. I'll tell who really did it.
See also: for, make, scapegoat
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
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References in periodicals archive ?
The scapegoat can really have little complaint at this point; it should recognise that this was bound to happen.
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