scapegoatism

[ skeyp-goh-tiz-uhm ]

noun

1. the act or practice of assigning blame or failure to another, as to deflect attention or responsibility away from oneself.

Word History and Origins

Origin of scapegoatism¹

scapegoat + -ism

Example Sentences

The grievances may differ, but they feed into what he calls our collective "scapegoatism."

From Los Angeles Times

The disturbing trend toward scapegoatism and authoritarianism that has unfolded is the result of an increasingly polarized political landscape that has been fueled by dark money, along with persistent economic instability and ever-growing inequality.

From Salon

"There's still some scapegoatism around, people who still make excuses for it all and say everybody's doing it anyway," noted a G.O.P. leader in Massachusetts.

From Time Magazine Archive