goat 1 of 2

noun

ˈgōt How to pronounce goat (audio)
Definition of goatnext
as in victim
a person or thing taking the blame for others an unhappy childhood was the goat he used to rationalize every failure and shortcoming

Synonyms & Similar Words

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go at

2 of 2

phrase

1
as in raid
to take sudden, violent action against He went at his opponent with such fervor, the fight was practically over before it began.

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in approach
to start work on energetically She went at that project with such enthusiasm, you could tell it was a labor of love.

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of goat
Noun
New shops opened in the market, and plump goats began to graze in the pasture. — Erika Page, Christian Science Monitor, 8 Apr. 2025 Since then, pigs, cats, deer, horses, mice, goats, gray wolves, and more than 1,500 dogs have been cloned using the same technology. — Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 7 Apr. 2025 Seven goats became pregnant; six had miscarriages, but one kid was born—with a malformed lung. — D. T. Max, New Yorker, 7 Apr. 2025 And Ned's involvement only made sense — as he was initially trained to run goats and geese, the handler told WSAZ, with those skills now coming into play at the airport. — Brenton Blanchet, People.com, 5 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for goat
Recent Examples of Synonyms for goat
  1. victim
  2. scapegoat
  3. excuse
Noun
  • Once identified, the kit dynamically loads a counterfeit login page tailored to that provider, often with the victim’s email address already filled in.
    — Alex Vakulov, Forbes.com, 28 Mar. 2025
  • The gallery was filled with the victim’s friends, colleagues and family.
    — Caleb Lunetta, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Mar. 2025
Definition of victim
Noun
  • Immigrants and refugees have become political scapegoats there, spawning a rash of attacks and even murders.
    — Amy Yurkanin, ProPublica, 15 Apr. 2025
  • Find another scapegoat to rationalize your assault on the crown jewels of American progress — our colleges and universities that until now have attracted the best and the brightest from our country and all over the world.
    — Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 3 Apr. 2025
Definition of scapegoat
Noun
  • Ignorance Ignorance is never an excuse for poor governance.
    — Committee of 200, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025
  • These past comments from Trump have often appeared to be in jest, or just an excuse to excite his loyal fan base during public speaking.
    — Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Apr. 2025
Definition of excuse

Phrases Containing goat

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goals
goat
go at
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Cite this Entry

“Goat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/goat. Accessed 20 Apr. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on goat

Nglish: Translation of goat for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about goat

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