victim

noun

vic·​tim ˈvik-təm How to pronounce victim (audio)
1
: one that is acted on and usually adversely affected by a force or agent
the schools are victims of the social system
: such as
a(1)
: one that is injured, destroyed, or sacrificed under any of various conditions
a victim of cancer
a victim of the auto crash
a murder victim
(2)
: one that is subjected to oppression, hardship, or mistreatment
a frequent victim of political attacks
b
: one that is tricked or duped
a con man's victim
2
: a living being sacrificed to a deity or in the performance of a religious rite
victimhood noun

Examples of victim in a Sentence

the victims of a hoax He was the victim of an error.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The victim, identified as Jhoser Sanchez, later died in the hospital. Escher Walcott, People.com, 4 Mar. 2025 Elliston Berry, a 15-year-old victim of deepfakes from Texas. Nik Popli, TIME, 4 Mar. 2025 Here’s one basic reality the recent laws don’t recognize: If density increases in burn footprints, the number of prospective victims in the inevitable future fires there will also increase. Thomas Elias, The Mercury News, 4 Mar. 2025 Newsom holds the ultimate trump card in their case, with the ability to grant clemency to the brothers whose case became a political football and was passed from one district attorney to another, becoming at-risk of becoming a victim of ongoing culture wars. Kevin Dolak, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for victim

Word History

Etymology

Latin victima; perhaps akin to Old High German wīh holy

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of victim was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Victim.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/victim. Accessed 9 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

victim

noun
vic·​tim ˈvik-təm How to pronounce victim (audio)
1
: a living being offered as a sacrifice in a religious rite
2
: an individual injured or killed (as by disease or accident)
3
: a person cheated, fooled, or harmed by another

More from Merriam-Webster on victim

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!