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
More specifically, scorers were asked to look for ways in which nominees reject traditional male archetypes of business leadership and lead with their own authentic, unique strengths.
—
David Spiegel, CNBC, 25 Feb. 2026
The pop star boyfriend archetype is gaining prominence, with supportive partners like Mescal becoming regulars at their girlfriends’ shows.
—Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 23 Feb. 2026
And not to get too pretentious, but in a Greek theater setting, the archetypes these guys represent.
—Selome Hailu, Variety, 21 Feb. 2026
Such archetypes have also inadvertently appeared on the runways of luxury brands such as Chanel and Miu Miu.
—Kati Chitrakorn, CNN Money, 17 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for archetype
David Spiegel, CNBC, 25 Feb. 2026
The pop star boyfriend archetype is gaining prominence, with supportive partners like Mescal becoming regulars at their girlfriends’ shows.
—Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 23 Feb. 2026
And not to get too pretentious, but in a Greek theater setting, the archetypes these guys represent.
—Selome Hailu, Variety, 21 Feb. 2026
Such archetypes have also inadvertently appeared on the runways of luxury brands such as Chanel and Miu Miu.
—Kati Chitrakorn, CNN Money, 17 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for archetype
Recent Examples of Synonyms for archetype
Noun
-
The original features a man holding architectural drawings with the urban landscape in the background.—
Noelle Alviz-Gransee
March 6,
Kansas City Star,
6 Mar. 2026
-
In place of the usual ground meat, a plethora of beans steps in to provide bulk, making the soup seem just as hearty as the original.—
Jesse Szewczyk,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Captain America was introduced in December 1940 by Timely Comics, the forerunner of Marvel.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Feb. 2026
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And these projects may just be the forerunners.—
Andy Sheehan,
CBS News,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Early prototypes validated ground operations and taxi behavior, while later versions introduced flight testing and expanded operational capabilities.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Mar. 2026
-
Build small prototypes rather than betting everything on a single, high-stakes pivot.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
4 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Intelligent, tool-using species — including our direct ancestors — have been around for millions of years.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
4 Mar. 2026
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Uncovering an ancient ancestor At first, scientists thought the ancient microbial ancestor of complex life was a simple cell, dwelling in oxygen-free environments.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
4 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
An Israeli source confirmed Khamenei's death to USA TODAY.—
Anthony Shoemaker,
The Columbus Dispatch,
1 Mar. 2026
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Newsweek partners with Statista to analyze four types of data sources to select and rank the best hospitals in 32 countries with comparable data.—
Mark Mondier,
Arkansas Online,
1 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
That means Coogler’s candidacy for best director is real, despite Anderson’s sweep of precursor awards.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
6 Mar. 2026
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Longmore noted that some of the complex molecules are thought to be precursors to amino acids, the building blocks of proteins.—
Asuka Koda,
CNN Money,
5 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Archetype.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/archetype. Accessed 7 Mar. 2026.
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