# victim

/ˈvɪktəm/ (US) · /vˈɪktɪm/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/victim
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. person harmed by crime or accident

noun · CEFR B1

someone who has been hurt, killed, or has suffered because of a crime, an accident, or a disaster.

For teachers: a person who has come to feel the injurious effects of a crime, accident, or other adverse circumstance.

- The police are still looking for the person who attacked the victim in the park.
- Emergency services worked through the night to identify the victims of the train derailment and notify their next of kin.

### 2. person tricked or cheated

noun · CEFR B2

someone who is tricked or treated unfairly by another person.

For teachers: an individual who is subjected to oppression, deceit, or exploitation.

- He was the victim of a scam that cost him all his savings.
- The investigation revealed that several elderly residents had fallen victim to a sophisticated phishing scheme targeting their pension accounts.

### 3. religious sacrifice

noun · CEFR C2 · Literary · Archaic

a living thing that is killed as an offering to a god in a religious ceremony.

For teachers: a living creature slain and offered as a sacrifice in a religious rite.

- In the ancient story, they chose a white bull as the victim for the ceremony.
- The high priest approached the altar where the ritual victim lay prepared for the solstice invocation.

## Examples

- The police are looking for the person who hurt the victim.
- The charity provides legal support and counseling to every victim of the recent flood to help them rebuild their lives.
- While the legal system focuses on the prosecution of the offender, restorative justice programs prioritize the needs of the victim and the healing of the community.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.