sacrificial lamb

The phrase 'sacrificial lamb' originates from religious practices but is commonly used metaphorically in modern contexts to describe someone or something sacrificed for the benefit of others.

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Definition

B2General

(idiomatic, figurative)A person or thing sacrificed for the benefit of others or to achieve a greater goal.

Example

  • In the corporate scandal, the junior executive was made the sacrificial lamb to protect the higher-ups.

B2General

(idiomatic, figurative)Someone unfairly blamed or punished to deflect criticism from others.

Example

  • The coach became the sacrificial lamb after the team’s poor performance, despite not being responsible for the failures.

Similar

Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "sacrificial lamb":

sacrificial poethuman sacrificeewe lambhouse lambspring lambburnt offering