1
as in vigilante
one who inflicts punishment in return for an injury or offense
Batman is the Joker's main nemesis and always foils his wicked plots
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in punishment
suffering, loss, or hardship imposed in response to a crime or offense
social ostracism was once society's nemesis for those who defied its sexual mores
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in curse
a source of harm or misfortune
irrationality is the nemesis of democracy, for good government depends upon the wisdom of the electorate
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of nemesis
Gilad Rubinsky is the roofer, and his nemesis is Alvaro Lau Camarena of Euless.
—
Dave Lieber, Dallas Morning News, 8 Apr. 2026
The game saw Mario once again saving a damsel (Princess Peach, then called Toadstool) from his nemesis, Bowser (née King Koopa), which would remain his motivation for countless sequels for decades.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 5 Apr. 2026
Yet its nemesis is always within reach.
—Shai Tubali, Big Think, 27 Mar. 2026
Although state legislative races rarely get the national spotlight, Democrats across the country were positively euphoric at the irony of their Republican nemesis being represented by one of their own.
—Bill Barrow, Arkansas Online, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nemesis
Dave Lieber, Dallas Morning News, 8 Apr. 2026
The game saw Mario once again saving a damsel (Princess Peach, then called Toadstool) from his nemesis, Bowser (née King Koopa), which would remain his motivation for countless sequels for decades.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 5 Apr. 2026
Yet its nemesis is always within reach.
—Shai Tubali, Big Think, 27 Mar. 2026
Although state legislative races rarely get the national spotlight, Democrats across the country were positively euphoric at the irony of their Republican nemesis being represented by one of their own.
—Bill Barrow, Arkansas Online, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nemesis
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nemesis
Noun
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Yet the vigilantes went too far, and labor organizations called on the state government to intervene.—
Amelia Soth,
JSTOR Daily,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Karl Urban as Billy Butcher Karl Urban has starred as Billy Butcher, leader of the titular vigilante group, since season 1.—
Jessica Sager,
PEOPLE,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The jury will decide his punishment.—
Amy McDaniel,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
16 Apr. 2026
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The 49-year-old from Carver, Massachusetts is accused of running a dogfighting operation for years; breeding and training dogs for violence and subjecting the animals to disturbing and cruel conditions and punishment.—
Juli McDonald,
CBS News,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
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In the first story, a couple worry about how a possible family curse that began when an ancestor made a bargain to escape enslavement might affect their happy life.—
Emma Alpern,
Vulture,
8 Apr. 2026
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There are still deliveries of hate mail from conservative neighbors who disapprove of their lifestyle, and occasional drive-bys punctuated with curses yelled from car windows, but they’ve largely been accepted by the community.—
Stephanie Breijo,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
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But as all the world knows, Edmond Dantès did rise again, transformed from an innocent young sailor into that courtly yet implacable avenger, the Count of Monte Cristo.—
Michael Dirda,
The New York Review of Books,
19 Mar. 2026
-
And it was signed, black dahlia avenger.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Or risk the wrath of being on the wrong side.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
7 Apr. 2026
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The immediate object of Uthmeier’s wrath is the Rooney Rule, voluntarily adopted more than two decades ago by the NFL to ensure that minority candidates are interviewed for coaching positions.—
Howard L. Simon,
The Orlando Sentinel,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Political instability has been a bane, with 32 governments taking office since 1990 and none of them completing a five-year term.—
Reuters,
NBC news,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Elias Lindholm took an offensive zone tripping penalty – O-zone stick fouls have been the bane of the B’s season – and the Sabres cashed in on the power play.—
Steve Conroy,
Boston Herald,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Montgomery has barely been in the big leagues for two months but has already put his name alongside a couple of franchise icons (and another hard-core punisher of baseballs).—
Phil Rogers,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
Noun
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While battery-electric vehicles have already reached large-scale adoption in China, the weight penalty continues to leave room for alternative propulsion pathways to emerge.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Apr. 2026
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If your return is more than 60 days late, there's also a minimum penalty for late filing.—
Medora Lee,
USA Today,
12 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nemesis.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nemesis. Accessed 17 Apr. 2026.
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