patsy Synonyms & Antonyms
What Is Another Word for Patsy?
Common synonyms for patsy are scapegoat and sucker.
Choose a meaning, then find a word that fits your sentence.
Patsy as a Noun
A person who is easily manipulated, victimized, or made to take the blame for something.
A conspirator, secretly designated by co-conspirators to take full blame and punishment for a wrongdoing, particularly an assassination; a fall guy.
Patsy as a Verb
To treat (a person) as a patsy or sucker; to pin the blame on.
To mess around; to waste time.
Patsy in a Sentence
No example sentences are available for this entry.
Word Forms & Grammar
patsy (plural patsies)
patsy (third-person singular simple present patsies, present participle patsying, simple past and past participle patsied)
Words That Rhyme With Patsy
Origin of Patsy
The term dates back at least to the 1870s in the United States, close to the peak of Irish migration. The OED's recent revisions link Patsy with Pat and Paddy, the stereotype of the bogtrotter just off the boat. The American Heritage Dictionary and Online Etymology Dictionary quotes the OED it may derive from the Italian pazzo (“madman”), and souther Italian dialect paccio (“fool”). Another possibility is the term derives from Patsy Bolivar, a character in an 1880s minstrel skit who was blamed whenever anything went wrong, in Broadway musical comedies, for example in The Errand Boy [1904] and Patsy in Politics [1907].
Word Facts for Patsy
| Part of speech | noun, verb |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | //ˈpætsi// |
| Syllables | 1 |
| Meaning | A person who is easily manipulated, victimized, or made to take the blame for something |
| Synonyms | scapegoat and sucker |
| Plural | patsies |
| Verb forms | patsies, patsying, patsied |
Pronouncing Patsy
Patsy is pronounced //ˈpætsi// and has 1 syllable.
Frequently Asked Questions About Patsy
Is patsy a noun or a verb?
Patsy is mainly used as a noun, but it can also be used as a verb.
What is the plural of patsy?
The plural of patsy is patsies.
What is the past tense of patsy?
The past tense of patsy is patsied. The present participle is patsying.