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scapegoat in German

scapegoat in German is Sündenbock, Prügelknabe, zum Sündenbock machen — scapegoat means a person blamed for a problem or failure that was not really their fault, often to protect others.

scapegoat in German

Sündenbock
noun
In the Mosaic Day of Atonement ritual, a goat symbolically imbued with the sins of the people, and sent out alive into the wilderness while another was sacrificed.
Sündenbock
noun
Someone unfairly blamed or punished for some failure.
Prügelknabe
noun
Someone unfairly blamed or punished for some failure.
zum Sündenbock machen
verb
(transitive, intransitive) To unfairly blame or punish someone for some failure; to make a scapegoat of.

What does "scapegoat" mean?

  1. noun A person blamed for a problem or failure that was not really their fault, often to protect others.
    "The junior analyst became the scapegoat when the deal fell through."
  2. verb To unfairly blame someone for a failure.
    "Management scapegoated the intern instead of admitting their own mistake."
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scapegoat in a sentence

  • The junior analyst became the scapegoat when the deal fell through.
  • They needed a scapegoat, so they fired the newest employee.
  • Management scapegoated the intern instead of admitting their own mistake.

Similar words in German

Common German translations

Frequently asked questions

What is "scapegoat" in German?

"scapegoat" in German is Sündenbock, Prügelknabe, zum Sündenbock machen. scapegoat means: A person blamed for a problem or failure that was not really their fault, often to protect others.

How do you use "scapegoat" in a sentence?

Example: "The junior analyst became the scapegoat when the deal fell through." In German, "scapegoat" is Sündenbock, Prügelknabe, zum Sündenbock machen.

Are there other ways to say "scapegoat" in German?

Yes — German has 3 translations listed for "scapegoat": Sündenbock, Prügelknabe, zum Sündenbock machen.

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Translations from WikDict, CC BY-SA · example sentences from Tatoeba, CC BY 2.0 FR.