victims

word · lemma: victim

/ˈvɪktəmz/
VIK-tuhmz
/vˈɪktɪmz/
VIK-timz

Definition

People who are hurt, harmed, or killed because of a crime, accident, war, disease, or other bad event. It can also mean people who suffer because of someone else's actions or because of a situation.

Usage & Nuances

Often used in serious contexts like crime, disasters, and abuse. Common collocations include 'victims of a crime', 'flood victims', and 'help the victims'. Be careful with 'play the victim', which means acting as if you are the person suffering in order to get sympathy.

Example Sentences

The police spoke to the victims after the attack.

basic

She was tired of people treating her like one of the victims instead of a survivor.

natural

The fire left many victims without homes.

basic

The storm victims need food and water.

basic

The charity is raising money for the victims of the earthquake.

natural

Scammers often target older victims who live alone.

natural