sitting duck
Vulnerable, exposed target
A sitting duck is someone or something that is easy to attack, criticize, or take advantage of—vulnerable and unable to defend itself or escape.
The image comes from hunting: a duck floating motionless on the water is far easier to shoot than one in flight.
Without legal representation, he was a sitting duck for the prosecution.
The phrase nearly always appears in contexts of danger, exposure, or helplessness.
Animal being hunted
- quarryPit for extracting rock
- victimOne harmed by another
- huntedSought to capture
- stalkedFollowed stealthily with menace
ambushed · trapped · bait · catch · pursued · cornered · snared · fodder
Intersecting sighting lines
- bullseyeExact center target
- aimPurpose or direction
- sniperConcealed precision shooter
- markedBearing an indicator
clay pigeon · shooting gallery · point-blank · lined up · zeroed in · dead center · easy pickings · fair game
Without means to resist
- helplessUnable to act independently
- unprotectedWithout safeguard or shield
- exposedOut in open
- powerlessLacking strength or authority
susceptible · weak · fragile · unguarded · unshielded · undefended · assailable · endangered
Visible to everyone
- visibleAble to be seen
- uncoveredMade visible or known
- conspicuousClearly visible, attention-grabbing
- unhiddenNot kept secret
observable · plain sight · spotlight · standing out · unprotected · unsheltered · laid bare · in full view
prey
Animal being hunted
stalked · ambushed · trapped · bait · catch · pursued · cornered · snared · fodder · game
crosshairs
Intersecting sighting lines
marked · clay pigeon · shooting gallery · point-blank · lined up · zeroed in · dead center · easy pickings · fair game · open season
defenseless
Without means to resist
- helplessUnable to act independently
- unprotectedWithout safeguard or shield
- exposedOut in open
powerless · susceptible · weak · fragile · unguarded · unshielded · undefended · assailable · endangered · imperiled
out in the open
Visible to everyone
- visibleAble to be seen
- uncoveredMade visible or known
- conspicuousClearly visible, attention-grabbing
unhidden · observable · plain sight · spotlight · standing out · unprotected · unsheltered · laid bare · in full view · obvious
unsuspecting
Not anticipating danger
oblivious · clueless · innocent · unaware · credulous · naive · green · inexperienced · guileless · ingenuous
- bird expressionsearly bird, birdbrain, bird brain, lovebirds, jailbird
- naivetygreenhorn, newbie, tenderfoot, raw recruit, born yesterday
- Animal Idiomsblind as a bat, brave as a lion, busy bee, copycat, dark horse
- idiomstime flies, hit the sack, seize the day, ring a bell, break a leg
- animal expressionslet sleeping dogs lie, raining cats and dogs, curiosity killed cat, horse sense, wild goose chase
- targetstarget, bullseye, mark, aim, crosshairs
sitting duckfortress
Heavily defended military structure
impregnable · untouchable · invulnerable · tough nut to crack · protected
sitting duckmoving target
Object in motion pursued
slippery · evasive · nimble · agile · will-o'-the-wisp
sitting duckapex predator
Unpreyed-upon dominant hunter
hunter · predator · top dog · force to be reckoned with · aggressor
site, president, sitting, session, resident, satellite, sits, sitter, dissident