VICTIM

Pronunciation (US): (GB):

I. (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

An unfortunate person who suffers from some adverse circumstance

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Hypernyms ("victim" is a kind of...):

unfortunate; unfortunate person (a person who suffers misfortune)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "victim"):

casualty; injured party (someone injured or killed in an accident)

casualty (someone injured or killed or captured or missing in a military engagement)

hunted person (a person who is hunted)

martyr; sufferer (one who suffers for the sake of principle)

martyr (one who voluntarily suffers death as the penalty for refusing to renounce their religion)

muggee (a victim of a mugging)

murderee (a victim who is murdered)

poor devil; wretch (someone you feel sorry for)

fair game; prey; quarry; target (a person who is the aim of an attack (especially a victim of ridicule or exploitation) by some hostile person or influence)

punching bag (a person on whom another person vents their anger)

scapegoat; whipping boy (someone who is punished for the errors of others)

Derivation:

victimise (punish unjustly)

victimise (make a victim of)

victimize (punish unjustly)

victimize (make a victim of)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A person who is tricked or swindled

Synonyms:

dupe; victim

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Hypernyms ("victim" is a kind of...):

individual; mortal; person; somebody; someone; soul (a human being)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "victim"):

butt; goat; laughingstock; stooge (a victim of ridicule or pranks)

chump; fall guy; fool; gull; mark; mug; patsy; soft touch; sucker (a person who is gullible and easy to take advantage of)

lamb (a person easily deceived or cheated (especially in financial matters))

easy mark; sitting duck (a defenseless victim)

Derivation:

victimise (make a victim of)

victimize (punish unjustly)

victimize (make a victim of)

Credits

Context examples:

My first idea was that I had been the victim of some absurd practical joke.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Ay truly, I believe you; I believe poor Harry is killed; and I believe his murderer (for what purpose, God alone can tell) is still lurking in his victim’s room.

(The Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

If I do go with him—if I do make the sacrifice he urges, I will make it absolutely: I will throw all on the altar—heart, vitals, the entire victim.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

Many older people are victims of elder abuse.

(Elder Abuse, NIH: National Institute on Aging)

The device called FINDER (Finding Individuals for Disaster and Emergency Response) uses microwave-radar technology to detect heartbeats of victims trapped in wreckage.

(DHS and NASA Technology Helps Save Four in Nepal Earthquake Disaster, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

Though, many victims sustained direct mechanical injury from cell phones too.

(Mobile phone could cause physical pain, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

In general, any data or information that the victim transmits can be decrypted.

(Digital security researchers publicly reveal vulnerability in WPA2 WiFi protocol, Wikinews)

Israel could move about, he was now armed, and if he had been at so much trouble to get rid of me, it was plain that I was meant to be the victim.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

I thought of his words as I watched my uncle that morning, for I believe that no victim tied to the stake could have had a worse outlook before him.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Likewise he learned to romp with the master, to be tumbled down and rolled over, and be the victim of innumerable rough tricks.