Meanings
verbplay the victim card (third-person singular simple present plays the victim card, present participle playing the victim card, simple past and past participle played the victim card)
present singular third person plays the victim card · participle present playing the victim card · participle past played the victim card · past played the victim card
- idiomaticTo portray oneself as an innocent victim instead of taking responsibility.
The serial killer played the victim card as he blamed others for his actions.
Translations
Spanish hacerse la víctima
- hacerse la víctimato portray oneself as an innocent victim instead of taking responsibility.
Swedish offerkofta
- offerkoftato portray oneself as an innocent victim instead of taking responsibility.
Cite this entry
APA
play the victim card. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/play%20the%20victim%20card
MLA
“play the victim card.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/play%20the%20victim%20card. Accessed November 5, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “play the victim card,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/play%20the%20victim%20card.
Source: play the victim card on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.