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
Of all contemporary Gallic stars, Lellouche and Demoustier already feel slightly out of time, their features recalling both silent-era performers and screwball archetypes.
—
Ben Croll, IndieWire, 12 May 2026
Some experts suspect that there may be several volcano archetypes — ones that prefer to throw out lava, for instance, or the especially explosive kind.
—Quanta Magazine, 8 May 2026
CEOs can use these as reference archetypes to map their organization against, identify the one that most closely matches its profile, and draw from the lessons that follow.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 2 May 2026
Each of these archetypes serves a distinct narrative purpose.
—Big Think, 29 Apr. 2026
The on-set archetypes of a Chinese film crew paralleled those of Hollywood.
—Chang Che, New Yorker, 25 Apr. 2026
There’s a lot of, kind of hockey player archetypes — the flashy, cocky European superstar, that’s definitely a type.
—ABC News, 22 Apr. 2026
With a mix of archetypes, monomyths, imagery, and characters, something beautiful begins to emerge.
—Heide Janssen, Oc Register, 19 Apr. 2026
Despite the jeweler’s eye for detail, though, Saariaho has created an array of archetypes, not a cast of humans who might develop, relating to one another in evolving ways.
—Justin Davidson, Vulture, 7 Apr. 2026
Ben Croll, IndieWire, 12 May 2026
Some experts suspect that there may be several volcano archetypes — ones that prefer to throw out lava, for instance, or the especially explosive kind.
—Quanta Magazine, 8 May 2026
CEOs can use these as reference archetypes to map their organization against, identify the one that most closely matches its profile, and draw from the lessons that follow.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 2 May 2026
Each of these archetypes serves a distinct narrative purpose.
—Big Think, 29 Apr. 2026
The on-set archetypes of a Chinese film crew paralleled those of Hollywood.
—Chang Che, New Yorker, 25 Apr. 2026
There’s a lot of, kind of hockey player archetypes — the flashy, cocky European superstar, that’s definitely a type.
—ABC News, 22 Apr. 2026
With a mix of archetypes, monomyths, imagery, and characters, something beautiful begins to emerge.
—Heide Janssen, Oc Register, 19 Apr. 2026
Despite the jeweler’s eye for detail, though, Saariaho has created an array of archetypes, not a cast of humans who might develop, relating to one another in evolving ways.
—Justin Davidson, Vulture, 7 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for archetypes
Noun
-
Even the Hammurabi Code, a set of laws created by the sixth Babylonian king in approximately 1760 bce, established forerunners of today’s interest rate and minimum wage laws.—
Chris Roush,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
22 Apr. 2026
-
The Norwegian ended his season before the Olympics to further recover from a shoulder injury, but attended the finals as one of the forerunners, who test a course shortly before a race starts.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
22 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Henares returns to the Philippines after several years in Singapore, having most recently served as head of originals, Philippines for Amazon MGM Studios and previously overseeing Globe Telecom’s studio businesses, including Globe Studios and Anima.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
17 May 2026
-
In addition to live cable, Hulu + Live TV lets subscribers watch originals from Hulu, Disney+ and ESPN Unlimited.—
Rudie Obias,
HollywoodReporter,
16 May 2026
Noun
-
This is among the most universal pieces of advice from our ancestors.—
Jonathan Haidt,
The Atlantic,
14 May 2026
-
One by one, group members tearfully thanked their ancestors and poured white rum on the beach.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
The prototypes spotted already have production-ready lighting and body panels underneath the light camouflage.—
Joel Feder,
The Drive,
14 May 2026
-
Plans for hub motors fell by the wayside in favor of a conventional drive unit, but the design was locked down, and journalists were able to ride in one of the prototypes last year at CES.—
Scharon Harding,
ArsTechnica,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
And then, thanks to the precursors to the storm that ultimately ended the first round early — the wind, above all else — the weather made the last few shots on the course brutal.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
8 May 2026
-
Take China’s export of fentanyl precursors, which the Drug Enforcement Agency first flagged as a serious problem back in 2015.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
7 May 2026
Noun
-
Multiple sources later confirmed their split to PEOPLE in January 2025, though they were spotted together on several occasions in the months to follow.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
16 May 2026
-
On carbon, nuclear is among the lowest-emission energy sources, emitting roughly 12 grams of CO₂-equivalent per kilowatt-hour and rivaling wind.—
Catherina Gioino,
Fortune,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
His furniture regularly commands staggering prices at auction houses like Christie’s and Sotheby’s, while his architectural works are increasingly gaining recognition as some of the most important examples of postwar Italian modernism.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
13 May 2026
-
Well, there's a couple examples.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
13 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Archetypes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/archetypes. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
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