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
It can be used in a variety of archetypes, including ramp, Zombie Galacti, Armin Zola and High Evo decks.
—
Gieson Cacho, Mercury News, 9 Feb. 2026
In dynasty mode, a popular EA Sports College Football 26 feature that allows players to take over and build their own programs, head coaches are broken into either recruiter, motivator or tactician archetypes.
—Shawn McFarland, Dallas Morning News, 5 Feb. 2026
Kristen Johnston played Sally Solomon, the mission’s tough enforcer who struggled hilariously with human emotions and stereotypical female archetypes, given that their alien species was genderless before coming to Earth.
—Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 31 Jan. 2026
However, the defining cliché of Japanese BL is the Seme and the Uke, character archetypes that subtextually gender ostensibly same-sex relationships.
—Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 30 Jan. 2026
No Man's Sky creates entire galaxies by distorting archetypes through procedural variation.
—Amir Husain, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
This is where the grifter archetypes tend to differ most.
—Literary Hub, 23 Jan. 2026
The siblings, in other words, fit different Hollywood archetypes.
—Reeves Wiedeman, Vulture, 12 Jan. 2026
But there's something a bit anticlimactic about ending it in that basement, as if the characters never had lives outside the archetypes the show made for them, cribbed from a role-playing game.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 31 Dec. 2025
Gieson Cacho, Mercury News, 9 Feb. 2026
In dynasty mode, a popular EA Sports College Football 26 feature that allows players to take over and build their own programs, head coaches are broken into either recruiter, motivator or tactician archetypes.
—Shawn McFarland, Dallas Morning News, 5 Feb. 2026
Kristen Johnston played Sally Solomon, the mission’s tough enforcer who struggled hilariously with human emotions and stereotypical female archetypes, given that their alien species was genderless before coming to Earth.
—Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 31 Jan. 2026
However, the defining cliché of Japanese BL is the Seme and the Uke, character archetypes that subtextually gender ostensibly same-sex relationships.
—Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 30 Jan. 2026
No Man's Sky creates entire galaxies by distorting archetypes through procedural variation.
—Amir Husain, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
This is where the grifter archetypes tend to differ most.
—Literary Hub, 23 Jan. 2026
The siblings, in other words, fit different Hollywood archetypes.
—Reeves Wiedeman, Vulture, 12 Jan. 2026
But there's something a bit anticlimactic about ending it in that basement, as if the characters never had lives outside the archetypes the show made for them, cribbed from a role-playing game.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 31 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for archetypes
Noun
-
With little support for the WHO among Republicans — who control both the House and the Senate — there has been no push from Congress to hold the country to the provision set out by their forerunners.—
Helen Branswell,
STAT,
21 Jan. 2026
-
Like these forerunners, the pleasures of Knight’s A Thousand Blows, which premiered all six episodes of its second season on Hulu Friday, lies in looking back on that thin sliver of time, about 15 years ago, when anachronistic old-timey crime was in vogue.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The exhibit features 200 artworks, some certified originals lent by private collectors and the rest are replicas.—
Abby Hamblin,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 Feb. 2026
-
Netflix drove the largest gains, powered by its partnership renewal with telecom major KDDI in November 2025 and strong performance from Japanese originals.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Connie Martin always knew who her ancestors were growing up.—
Carolyn Stein,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Some of those ancestors left Africa to explore Europe.—
Ari Daniel,
NPR,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
That’s where the business makes its prototypes, along with international shipments, and Miller said the move to the Front Range will help grease the wheels of efficiency on new product launches.—
Max Scheinblum,
Denver Post,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Gulati said the Sounders and Reign, which have tested early Arkero prototypes, are projecting the software will result in over 50% efficiency improvement in matchday planning.—
Luisa Beltran,
Sportico.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The Dow is older than the S&P 500, which was established in 1957 (though precursors had existed since 1928) and the Nasdaq Composite, which was established in 1971.—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Thiel’s claim climate policy and global cooperation are precursors to a one‑world dictatorship ignores how such policies actually work.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The shift in power from the media to the sources to the subjects.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
14 Feb. 2026
-
The restaurant approaching its 30th anniversary sources a hefty amount of produce and other products from local farms — a theme that continues for Cochran at Bruce Moffett’s Stagioni.—
Heidi Finley,
Charlotte Observer,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Any internet user can play the role of researcher, with people submitting examples of infringement and LightBar’s small team of moderators verifying entries.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
11 Feb. 2026
-
The sale is one of the largest examples of a growing trend in California in which environmental groups and state agencies are helping tribes acquire ancestral lands, often centuries after they were forcibly removed.—
Paul Rogers,
Mercury News,
11 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Archetypes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/archetypes. Accessed 17 Feb. 2026.
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