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
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
These archetypes have existed since the beginning of time.
—Lucy Handley, Big Think, 20 Mar. 2026
Payton often points back to Devery Henderson and Robert Meachem from his years in New Orleans as sort of the archetypes.
—Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 11 Mar. 2026
While some scholars identify mythical archetypes in news coverage, such as the hero or the outcast, others examine the narrative capacity of journalists to create mythic figures through public rituals and collective meaning-making, thereby asserting their authority in the public sphere.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 6 Mar. 2026
Founder Giorgia Gabriele’s elevated take on fashion archetypes, top-notch fabrications and precise execution make such an exercise child’s play.
—Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 2 Mar. 2026
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
These archetypes have existed since the beginning of time.
—Lucy Handley, Big Think, 20 Mar. 2026
Payton often points back to Devery Henderson and Robert Meachem from his years in New Orleans as sort of the archetypes.
—Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 11 Mar. 2026
While some scholars identify mythical archetypes in news coverage, such as the hero or the outcast, others examine the narrative capacity of journalists to create mythic figures through public rituals and collective meaning-making, thereby asserting their authority in the public sphere.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 6 Mar. 2026
Founder Giorgia Gabriele’s elevated take on fashion archetypes, top-notch fabrications and precise execution make such an exercise child’s play.
—Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 2 Mar. 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
-
As Wilde said, there’s room for both originals and franchises.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Earlier this month, two Movistar Plus+ originals – Rodrigo Sorogoyen’s ‘The Beloved,’ starring Javier Bardem, and ‘La Bola Negra,’ with Penélope Cruz, directed by Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo – were selected for main competition at the Cannes Festival.—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
This hulking sedan still lacks the grace of its E3 and E23 ancestors, but the infusion of Neue Klasse details and other tweaks definitely help.—
Stephen Edelstein,
ArsTechnica,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Canada’s new citizenship law, effective December, lets Americans with distant Canadian ancestors claim dual nationality—potentially affecting millions and overwhelming immigration lawyers on both sides of the border.—
Sarah Raza,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Manufacturers have already displayed their prototypes in Miami, showcasing to business executives and investors their sleek design and ambitious promise to save residents time while moving aviation in a more climate-friendly direction.—
Ashley Miznazi,
Miami Herald,
22 Apr. 2026
-
Instead of relying only on lab experiments, scientists can now simulate thousands of possible material combinations before building prototypes.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
21 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
So does a significant share of the fertilizer precursors and agricultural imports that Gulf states rely on to feed their populations.—
Tenzin Seldon,
Fortune,
23 Apr. 2026
-
The rise coincides with a recent crackdown by the Chinese government on the sale of precursors used to make fentanyl.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
April 25, 2026 Less than a week after making his major-league debut on April 3, the shortstop signed a team-record nine-year extension that league sources confirmed to The Athletic is for $140 million and could be worth up to $150 million with performance escalators.—
The Athletic Staff,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
-
The victim was charged with disorderly conduct and trespass, but both charges were later dropped, sources said.—
Colin Mixson,
New York Daily News,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Take the examples of the second season of Amazon Prime’s Fallout and Netflix’s first season of Ransom Canyon, which made headlines last year by powering their base camps with solar power.—
Katie Kilkenny,
HollywoodReporter,
22 Apr. 2026
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In fact, the anthropological literature is full of examples where academics claiming such a triumphal godlike position really just foster a neocolonial project.—
Tim Brinkhof,
JSTOR Daily,
22 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Archetypes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/archetypes. Accessed 28 Apr. 2026.
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