victim

victim — noun

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

1.nounB1
Definition

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

Example

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.

Common collocations
  • victim of crime
  • victim of violence
  • victim of an accident
  • victim of illness
  • victim of abuse
Synonyms
  • 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.

Antonyms
  • attacker

    The person who causes the harm.

  • perpetrator

    Formal term for the person who commits a crime.

Grammar Patterns

victim + of + noun phrase

become a victim of + noun phrase

fall victim to + noun phrase

Usage Note

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

Common Mistakes

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.nounB1
Definition

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.

Example

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]

Common collocations
  • victim of a disaster
  • victim of a drought
  • victim of a flood
  • victim of a recession
  • fall victim to
Synonyms
  • 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.

Antonyms
  • survivor

    Someone who lives through a disaster or difficult situation.

Grammar Patterns

victim + of + noun phrase

fall victim to + noun phrase

become a victim of + noun phrase

Usage Note

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.

Common Mistakes

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.nounB2
Definition

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

Example

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.

Common collocations
  • victim of a scam
  • victim of fraud
  • victim of identity theft
  • victim of a con
Synonyms
  • 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.

Antonyms
  • scammer

    The person who carries out the fraud.

  • con artist

    Someone who deceives others for money.

Grammar Patterns

victim + of + noun phrase

become a victim of + noun phrase

Usage Note

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

Common Mistakes

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.
Idioms

fall victim (to something)

idiom

To be harmed, tricked, or destroyed by someone or something.

The old church fell victim to a fire last night.

Did the company fall victim to the cyber attack?

Word family

  • victimize
    verbB2
  • victimization
    nounC1
  • victimless
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

These three words all describe someone affected by something harmful, but they differ in scope and emphasis. "Victim" is the broadest term: it covers anyone harmed by crime, illness, accident, or another's actions. "Casualty" is narrower, typically used for someone injured or killed in a war, disaster, or accident — often in official counts ("the earthquake caused 200 casualties"). "Sufferer" emphasizes ongoing discomfort or pain, usually from a medical condition ("a sufferer of chronic back pain"), and is less common for crime or violence. Use "victim" for general harm, "casualty" for disasters and conflicts, and "sufferer" for long-term health conditions.

victim ↗casualty ↗sufferer ↗

Common collocations

Phrases

  • fall victim to
  • become a victim of
  • be the victim of

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word "victim" entered English from French "victime" during the 15th century, and ultimately comes from Latin "victima," which meant an animal or person killed as a religious sacrifice. Over time the meaning broadened from the specific idea of sacrifice to anyone or anything that suffers harm from any cause.