Scapegoating - Meaning, Definition & English Examples
Scapegoating is the act of blaming an individual or group for problems or mistakes, often unfairly, to divert attention from the real causes or responsible parties. It is a common social or psychological behavior.
Definition:
Blaming an individual or group for problems, often unfairly, to divert attention from the real causes.
Synonyms:
blaming, finger-pointing, victimizing
Part of Speech:
noun, gerund
Antonyms:
praising, exonerating
Common Collocations:
scapegoating behavior, scapegoating minorities, scapegoating employees
Derivatives:
scapegoat (noun), scapegoated (verb)
Usage Tips:
Use "scapegoating" to describe unfair blame-shifting; avoid overgeneralizing it to all forms of criticism.
Common Phrases:
"scapegoat for failure, " "scapegoating the innocent, " "make someone a scapegoat"
Etymology:
Derived from "scapegoat," originating from the Bible (Leviticus 16), where a goat symbolically bore people's sins.
Examples:
- 1. The team lost because of poor strategy, not because of scapegoating one player.
- 2. Politicians often use scapegoating to avoid responsibility for economic problems.
- 3. She felt hurt after being unfairly scapegoated for the project’s failure.
- 4. Scapegoating immigrants won’t solve the country’s deeper issues.