whipping boy
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
While Mr. Blanche was Republicans’ whipping boy, their real target was Mr. Trump, whose recent interventions in Republican politics have dismayed them.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 26, 2026
Toyota’s faith in democratizing hybrid technology turned the company, once an environmental darling, into a whipping boy as it was widely accused of foot-dragging over electric vehicles.
From New York Times • Jan. 17, 2024
Greg, on the other hand, is a tool – frequently a whipping boy, sometimes a human shield, lately a corporate guillotine.
From Salon • May 15, 2023
“Manson has always been someone’s whipping boy or source of revenue from television to newspapers all his life, so I know it is hard for anyone to understand, but I never wanted anything from him.”
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 27, 2022
He'd been dreaming happily of his ragged but carefree life before he'd been plucked from the streets and sewers of the city to serve as royal whipping boy.
From "The Whipping Boy" by Sid Fleischman
