What does “Sündenbock” mean in German?

Sündenbock means “scapegoat” — someone who gets blamed for a problem they did not really cause, often so the real guilty person can stay hidden. The word is built from “Sünde” (sin) and “Bock” (male goat), but it’s not literal: in everyday German it means the one carrying the blame, not an actual goat. A common phrase is “jemanden zum Sündenbock machen” — to make someone the scapegoat.

“Bellwether war nicht die Hauptbösewichtin, sondern nur ein Sündenbock.” — “Bellwether wasn’t the main villain, just a scapegoat.” In this Zootopia theory clip, the speaker argues that Bellwether was set up to take the blame while a bigger villain stayed hidden — which is exactly what a Sündenbock is. “Sie haben ihn zum Sündenbock gemacht.” — “They made him the scapegoat.” “Ich bin immer der Sündenbock, wenn etwas schiefgeht.” — “I’m always the one who gets blamed when something goes wrong.” Usage notes: the most common pairing is “jemanden zum Sündenbock machen” (to make someone the scapegoat). The “ü” sounds a bit like the “ee” in “see” said with rounded lips.