1
as in original
something from which copies are made
Beowulf is considered by some scholars to be the archetype for medieval British heroic tales
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in forerunner
something belonging to an earlier time from which something else was later developed
the abacus is sometimes cited as the archetype of the modern digital calculator
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of archetype
In the 1970s, Elton John became the definitive pop-rock archetype.
—
Encyclopedia Britannica, 1 May 2026
Each of these archetypes serves a distinct narrative purpose.
—Big Think, 29 Apr. 2026
What may sound apocryphal—like an old man crafting a fiery archetype—has been verified by at least one notable fan.
—Literary Hub, 29 Apr. 2026
Along the way, Jódar showed the tennis world that the old archetype of the Spanish men’s tennis player, the grinder who turns his opponents’ legs to goo over the course of an endless afternoon, may be dead and gone forever.
—Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for archetype
Encyclopedia Britannica, 1 May 2026
Each of these archetypes serves a distinct narrative purpose.
—Big Think, 29 Apr. 2026
What may sound apocryphal—like an old man crafting a fiery archetype—has been verified by at least one notable fan.
—Literary Hub, 29 Apr. 2026
Along the way, Jódar showed the tennis world that the old archetype of the Spanish men’s tennis player, the grinder who turns his opponents’ legs to goo over the course of an endless afternoon, may be dead and gone forever.
—Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for archetype
Recent Examples of Synonyms for archetype
Noun
-
The list was mostly made up for the originals and the three prequels, with a couple Disney TV installments (Andor) mixed in.—
Zach Dean OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
8 May 2026
-
Silverman, who encountered the British original due to his parents, credits Tuccillo as instrumental to his vision of the show manifesting into reality.—
Arushi Jacob,
Variety,
8 May 2026
Noun
-
Radio public affairs broadcasting is seen as a forerunner to television public affairs programming.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
1 May 2026
-
Hungary’s incoming premier today showed investors how austere he is compared to his forerunner.—
Jonathan Tirone,
Bloomberg,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Automakers, however, continue to use forms of dazzle camouflage to disguise prototype automobiles from other manufacturers and the media during testing.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
5 May 2026
-
The newest node prototype, called Ocean-3, is scheduled for testing in the northern Pacific Ocean later in 2026.—
Jeremy Hsu,
ArsTechnica,
5 May 2026
Noun
-
The Declaration had many ancestors.—
Jill Lepore,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
-
Hallmark’s Romance at Hope Ranch star Hogan will be taking on the role of Grayson Goodwin in the new season, portraying a descendant of one of Port Haven’s founders, Cyrus Goodwin, and an ancestor of Casey Goodwin.—
Alex Gurley,
PEOPLE,
3 May 2026
Noun
-
At least three rounds were fired, sources said.—
Colin Mixson,
New York Daily News,
2 May 2026
-
The science of acoustic fire suppression, which has long been known and documented in scientific literature and the press, works by vibrating oxygen molecules away from a fuel source, depriving the fire of a critical component needed for combustion.—
Cyrus Farivar,
ArsTechnica,
2 May 2026
Noun
-
The missive, which could be a precursor to a lawsuit, opens another avenue of attack against the controversial $111-billion deal, which would transform the smaller Paramount into an industry titan.—
Meg James,
Los Angeles Times,
8 May 2026
-
And then, thanks to the precursors to the storm that ultimately ended the first round early — the wind, above all else — the weather made the last few shots on the course brutal.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
8 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Archetype.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/archetype. Accessed 10 May. 2026.
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