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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
However, Claude Giroux, a longtime Penguins nemesis, got the last laugh.
—
Josh Yohe, New York Times, 3 Feb. 2026
Torn between two worlds, Dusty is forced to finally face the ghosts of his past athletic failures, including his childhood nemesis Andy Roddick.
—Justin Kroll, Deadline, 3 Feb. 2026
Senior captain Ryan Mutschler dropped 22 points to go with five rebounds, while his classmate Cole Madden added 16 points as the Hawks (14-0) pulled away in the second half for a convincing 64-47 victory over longtime nemesis Quincy.
—Brendan Connelly, Boston Herald, 31 Jan. 2026
And Colton is a great nemesis for me.
—Megan McCluskey, Time, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nemesis
Josh Yohe, New York Times, 3 Feb. 2026
Torn between two worlds, Dusty is forced to finally face the ghosts of his past athletic failures, including his childhood nemesis Andy Roddick.
—Justin Kroll, Deadline, 3 Feb. 2026
Senior captain Ryan Mutschler dropped 22 points to go with five rebounds, while his classmate Cole Madden added 16 points as the Hawks (14-0) pulled away in the second half for a convincing 64-47 victory over longtime nemesis Quincy.
—Brendan Connelly, Boston Herald, 31 Jan. 2026
And Colton is a great nemesis for me.
—Megan McCluskey, Time, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nemesis
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nemesis
Noun
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Square-jawed detectives were tripping over corpses at midtown construction sites, blind vigilantes were redecorating Hell’s Kitchen with body parts and even poor Lester the doorman ended up dead in an Upper West Side courtyard fountain.—
Benjamin Svetkey,
HollywoodReporter,
11 Feb. 2026
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And Takaichi’s stimulus-heavy prescription for the economy has shaken bond vigilantes, while analysts have also warned about the possibility of a worsening debt crisis.—
Tristan Bove,
Fortune,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Santa Clara, California — Mike Vrabel made his nnname in the NFL as a crunching outside linebacker, delivering punishment to opposing offenses and blowing up their plays on his way to winning multiple Super Bowl titles with the New England Patriots.—
Kyle Feldscher,
CNN Money,
5 Feb. 2026
-
He was sentenced to an unconditional discharge, leaving his conviction intact but sparing him any punishment.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Those declines are making Berkshire's more than $350 billion in cash look more like a blessing than a curse.—
Alex Crippen,
CNBC,
7 Feb. 2026
-
Classical Amid all the constant wondering of when things will get better, the slow drip of time may feel like a curse.—
Brian Seibert,
New Yorker,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
And it was signed, black dahlia avenger.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Jan. 2026
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By the end of that first half hour, he has been unmasked as the bloody avenger of the backyard.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
24 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
So up and over went Adebayo, and straight down upon Ware came Adebayo’s dunking wrath.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Instead, his minions, so afraid of earning his wrath, have remained quiet.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Then, as if there was any doubt where this was headed, the Heat made sure there would not be another third-period collapse, which largely has been the bane of this uneven season.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
8 Feb. 2026
-
Plastic, that bane of California policymakers and activists, is hardly recycled.—
Kerry Jackson,
Oc Register,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
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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The child may use the money without penalty to help pay for college or buy a first home.—
Jeanne Sahadi,
CNN Money,
9 Feb. 2026
-
That first penalty was decisive and controversial.—
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nemesis.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nemesis. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.
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