1
as in forerunners
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in originals
something from which copies are made
Beowulf is considered by some scholars to be the archetype for medieval British heroic tales
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of archetypes
This pointed to suits and sartorial pieces with a little twist, expressed in tweaks in texture or proportion that were just enough to cast a new light on familiar wardrobe archetypes.
—
Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 29 Sep. 2025
Now escape the generic archetypes of logic and think like a novelist, remembering (or discovering) a specific story of when every person on your list was creative in their own distinct way.
—Angus Fletcher, Big Think, 29 Sep. 2025
Asteroids represent archetypes, and Juno specifically rules soul contracts, loyalty, devotion, and commitments, both romantic and otherwise.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 29 Sep. 2025
Exploring Mexico’s most celebrated ghost stories, Three Mexican Folk Songs, by David Conte, highlight haunting archetypes such as La Bruja and La Llorona.
—Dawn Giangiulio, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Sep. 2025
In Fargo, there are four character archetypes.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Indeed, Redford, who became the embodiment of timelessness and sophistication, paved the way for many American menswear archetypes, from prep to western.
—Kati Chitrakorn, CNN Money, 16 Sep. 2025
There have been several great players who played the point guard position, coming in all different shapes and sizes, fulfilling different archetypes of what the position can be.
—Nelson Espinal, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Sep. 2025
This, in turn, reflects our experiences here on planet Earth, giving spiritual meaning to the cycles of time, not just through planetary movements but through the cosmos' mythological archetypes.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 10 Sep. 2025
Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 29 Sep. 2025
Now escape the generic archetypes of logic and think like a novelist, remembering (or discovering) a specific story of when every person on your list was creative in their own distinct way.
—Angus Fletcher, Big Think, 29 Sep. 2025
Asteroids represent archetypes, and Juno specifically rules soul contracts, loyalty, devotion, and commitments, both romantic and otherwise.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 29 Sep. 2025
Exploring Mexico’s most celebrated ghost stories, Three Mexican Folk Songs, by David Conte, highlight haunting archetypes such as La Bruja and La Llorona.
—Dawn Giangiulio, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Sep. 2025
In Fargo, there are four character archetypes.
—Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Indeed, Redford, who became the embodiment of timelessness and sophistication, paved the way for many American menswear archetypes, from prep to western.
—Kati Chitrakorn, CNN Money, 16 Sep. 2025
There have been several great players who played the point guard position, coming in all different shapes and sizes, fulfilling different archetypes of what the position can be.
—Nelson Espinal, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Sep. 2025
This, in turn, reflects our experiences here on planet Earth, giving spiritual meaning to the cycles of time, not just through planetary movements but through the cosmos' mythological archetypes.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 10 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for archetypes
Noun
-
Compared to their forerunners in the tsarist era, with their party congresses held abroad, their executive committees, and their active recruitment in imperial Russia’s universities, Soviet dissidents remained a comparatively small and informal conglomeration of activists.—
Benjamin Nathans
September 24,
Literary Hub,
24 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Finke noted ShowShowtime has launched around 30 originals since launch in September 2022.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
1 Oct. 2025
-
The Tribute is one of SkyShowtime’s growing slate of Spanish originals, which include true-crime documentary series A Recipe for Murder, the psychological thriller Shades (Matices), and the upcoming series Nails and Road to Arcadia.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Demosponges are soft and squishy filter feeders and their ancestors likely shared similar characteristics.—
Maria Azzurra Volpe,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Oct. 2025
-
The African roots of cumbia are expressed not only through its percussion instruments - the tambor alegre, the llamador and the tambora - but also through the voices of ancestors reflected in the sung dances of the region.—
Karla Gachet,
NPR,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The content banner will create original material for digital platforms with an eye on developing concepts and prototypes for movies, TV shows, live media, podcasts, e-commerce and more.—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
3 Oct. 2025
-
The team tested numerous prototypes by dropping a bottle equipped with a kirigami parachute from a height of nearly 200 ft (60 m).—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
By the late 2010s, the precursors of ChatGPT, Gemini, and DALL-E were spluttering to life, making real the future that the Army had envisioned in World War II.—
Angus Fletcher,
Big Think,
29 Sep. 2025
-
And the precursors for that reality may already be in motion, Metzger noted.—
Jackie Wattles,
CNN Money,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
A lot of the information being funneled to him and his peers from news sources wasn't clear.—
David Ferrara,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
30 Sep. 2025
-
As temperatures drop, plants begin to die back, reducing the availability of insects, seeds and other food sources.—
Brandi D. Addison,
The Providence Journal,
29 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Woolf noted that growing up in challenging environments can contribute to mental illness, pointing to examples such as living in a country affected by war or civil unrest.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
-
While early cars in concours condition might be valued at $90,000, good-condition examples should be in the $25,000 to $30,000 range.—
Robert Ross,
Robb Report,
3 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Archetypes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/archetypes. Accessed 5 Oct. 2025.
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