scapegoat

/ˈskeɪpɡoʊt/

scape·goat

BrE /ˈskeɪpɡəʊt/

NAmE /ˈskeɪpɡoʊt/

a person who is blamed for sth bad that sb else has done or for some failure

SYN fall guy

She felt she had been made a scapegoat for her boss’s incompetence.

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scape·goat verb

~ sb/sth