victim

/ˈvɪktɪm/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈvɪktɪm/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈvik-təm/ (ame, mw)

victim — noun

  • victimsingular
  • victimsplural

1. A person who suffers injury, death, or loss because of a crime, an accident, an

1.名詞B1
釋義

A person who suffers injury, death, or loss because of a crime, an accident, an illness, or another person's harmful actions.

例句

The police officers tried to comfort the victim of the attack.

victim of [crime/attack]

Zola became a victim of the flu outbreak and missed two weeks of school.

同義詞
  • casualty

    Focuses on someone injured or killed in an accident, war, or disaster; more specific than victim.

  • sufferer

    Emphasizes ongoing pain or illness; often used with medical conditions.

  • injured party

    Formal or legal term for someone harmed by another's actions.

反義詞
  • attacker

    The person who causes the harm.

  • perpetrator

    Formal term for the person who commits a crime.

文法句型

victim + of + noun phrase

become a victim of + noun phrase

fall victim to + noun phrase

用法筆記

The cause of harm usually appears after the preposition "of" (victim of a crime, victim of an illness).

常見錯誤

❌She victimed the robbery.
✅She was the victim of a robbery.
💡"victim" is a noun, not a verb; use "be a victim of" instead.
❌He was a victim of car.
✅He was a victim of a car accident.
💡the cause after "of" must be specific; include a noun like "accident" or "crash."

2. A person, animal, or thing that is damaged, destroyed, or lost because of a natu

2.名詞B1
釋義

A person, animal, or thing that is damaged, destroyed, or lost because of a natural disaster, an economic change, a harsh condition, or any other impersonal cause.

例句

Several villages became victims of the flood when the river broke its banks.

became victims of [natural disaster]

The old cinema was a victim of the rise of streaming services.

thing as victim + of [trend/situation]

同義詞
  • casualty

    Often used for deaths or losses in disasters and wars; more narrow than victim.

  • fatality

    Specifically refers to someone killed; narrower and more formal.

  • loser

    Informal; can describe someone disadvantaged by a situation, but not for physical harm.

反義詞
  • survivor

    Someone who lives through a disaster or difficult situation.

文法句型

victim + of + noun phrase

fall victim to + noun phrase

become a victim of + noun phrase

用法筆記

Frequently used with inanimate subjects (buildings, businesses, towns) to describe damage from impersonal forces. The phrase "fall victim to" is especially common in news writing.

常見錯誤

❌The building victimed to the earthquake.
✅The building fell victim to the earthquake.
💡use "fall victim to" or "became a victim of," not "victim" as a verb.

3. Someone who gets cheated, deceived, or taken advantage of, especially in a finan

3.名詞B2
釋義

Someone who gets cheated, deceived, or taken advantage of, especially in a financial scheme or fraud.

例句

Selim was the victim of a clever online scam that emptied his bank account.

victim of [type of fraud]

Elderly people are often the easiest victims for door-to-door sales tricks.

同義詞
  • dupe

    Someone easily tricked or fooled; informal and slightly old-fashioned.

  • target

    The person selected by a scammer or con artist; emphasizes being chosen for deception.

反義詞
  • scammer

    The person who carries out the fraud.

  • con artist

    Someone who deceives others for money.

文法句型

victim + of + noun phrase

become a victim of + noun phrase

用法筆記

This sense focuses on deception rather than physical harm. The victim may not even realize they have been cheated until much later.

常見錯誤

❌He was a victim of a thief.' (vague)
✅He was the victim of a pickpocket who stole his phone.
💡specify the type of theft or fraud to make the meaning clear.