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
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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
Taskmaster contestants fall into a number of archetypes.
—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
17 June 2026
The success of Citadel, which manages $68 billion in its hedge fund and has a huge securities-trading operation, has always been hard to pin on any one thing, as The New Yorker’s Gary Sernovitz teases out in a profile out this week that observed how Griffin fits none of Wall Street’s archetypes.
—
Liz Hoffman,
semafor.com,
16 June 2026
So now there isn’t just one archetype of the Rocky underdog character sort.
—
Steven Zeitchik,
HollywoodReporter,
16 June 2026
Her take on the ‘Latina baddie’ archetype may be the show’s most memorable performance.
—
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for archetype
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
17 June 2026
The success of Citadel, which manages $68 billion in its hedge fund and has a huge securities-trading operation, has always been hard to pin on any one thing, as The New Yorker’s Gary Sernovitz teases out in a profile out this week that observed how Griffin fits none of Wall Street’s archetypes.
—
Liz Hoffman,
semafor.com,
16 June 2026
So now there isn’t just one archetype of the Rocky underdog character sort.
—
Steven Zeitchik,
HollywoodReporter,
16 June 2026
Her take on the ‘Latina baddie’ archetype may be the show’s most memorable performance.
—
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for archetype
Recent Examples of Synonyms for archetype
Noun
-
The spectacularly antic tale of originals and doubles, locals and outsiders, visually and philosophically lampoons the very concept of identity.
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The 2005 original was given a relatively large $33 million to play with, directed by a future Emmy winner, and graced with cameos from legends Alan Shearer and Zinedine Zidane.
Noun
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The group, which includes Chrysler, Fiat, Peugeot and Citroen, is becoming a forerunner in the promising progress of a new type of vehicle battery.
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In 2007, the Oatley family opened Qualia, their 30-acre flagship property and the forerunner of Australia’s luxury lodges.
Noun
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Future projects will also depend on successful prototype testing, regulatory approvals, construction milestones, and definitive customer agreements before any revenue-generating power plants come online.
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Musk has sought for more than a decade to get the public comfortable with SpaceX’s approach to rocket development, which emphasizes testing cheap prototypes in flight and embracing the occasional mishap rather than trying to guarantee perfection.
Noun
-
Kean comes from a long line of public servants, stretching 250 years to the country’s founding when one of his ancestors became New Jersey’s first leader since independence.
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One of these is likely the evolutionary ancestor of all that is to come.
Noun
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The source claimed that the Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star checked into the facility voluntarily.
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Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are expected to take over Madison Square Garden for two events celebrating their wedding, ABC News and CNN reported on June 30, citing sources familiar with the plans.
Noun
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Sea surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean have topped daily warm records for more than 20 days in June, a precursor to what many scientists expect to be one of the strongest El Niño events on record.
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Today, financial independence is often about knowledge—and career opportunity—as a precursor to power.
Cite this Entry
“Archetype.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/archetype. Accessed 2 Jul. 2026.
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