variants
also archetypical
1
as in classic
constituting, serving as, or worthy of being a pattern to be imitated
St. Peter's basilica in Rome is considered by some art historians to be the archetypal structure in the baroque style
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in typical
having or showing the qualities associated with the members of a particular group or kind
the movie's hero is pretty archetypal, lacking in any distinctive qualities that would distinguish him from countless other masked avengers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of archetypal
Even though the action is revoltingly real, the fighters seem almost interchangeable, cookie-cutter, and therefore even more archetypal.
—
Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 15 June 2026
Perhaps because Mansfield died young, at thirty-four, of tuberculosis, her adult and middle-aged characters tend to feel a bit archetypical by comparison.
—Literary Hub, 8 June 2026
In its archetypal form, the seduction plot features a sybaritic aristocrat who attempts to debauch an upstanding daughter of the bourgeoisie.
—Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 1 June 2026
In a region known for its rolling landscapes, romantic hill towns, and outstanding cuisine, Val d’Orcia is the archetypal Tuscany.
—Elizabeth Heath, Travel + Leisure, 31 May 2026
The Yellow Jacket Lackey is the archetypal late bloomer.
—Teddy Cahill, New York Times, 29 May 2026
Seven artists wer shown including painter Apostolos Georgiou, and sculptor Koula Savvidou, whose hybrid sculptural figures made from plaster, metal, wood, and found materials, tend to read as fragmented, mythic bodies—somewhere between human, animal, and archetypal form.
—Joanne Shurvell, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026
But being able to use the environment in surprising ways matched the surprising depth and detail with which the actors were able to realize characters that could be somewhat archetypal.
—Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 20 May 2026
The Beachcomber Cafe Between Laguna Beach and Newport Beach, and set directly on the sand within Crystal Cove State Park, The Beachcomber remains one of Orange County’s most archetypal dining setups, where waves crash just beyond the patio railing and diners often arrive barefoot from the beach.
—Brock Keeling, Oc Register, 13 May 2026
Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 15 June 2026
Perhaps because Mansfield died young, at thirty-four, of tuberculosis, her adult and middle-aged characters tend to feel a bit archetypical by comparison.
—Literary Hub, 8 June 2026
In its archetypal form, the seduction plot features a sybaritic aristocrat who attempts to debauch an upstanding daughter of the bourgeoisie.
—Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 1 June 2026
In a region known for its rolling landscapes, romantic hill towns, and outstanding cuisine, Val d’Orcia is the archetypal Tuscany.
—Elizabeth Heath, Travel + Leisure, 31 May 2026
The Yellow Jacket Lackey is the archetypal late bloomer.
—Teddy Cahill, New York Times, 29 May 2026
Seven artists wer shown including painter Apostolos Georgiou, and sculptor Koula Savvidou, whose hybrid sculptural figures made from plaster, metal, wood, and found materials, tend to read as fragmented, mythic bodies—somewhere between human, animal, and archetypal form.
—Joanne Shurvell, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026
But being able to use the environment in surprising ways matched the surprising depth and detail with which the actors were able to realize characters that could be somewhat archetypal.
—Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 20 May 2026
The Beachcomber Cafe Between Laguna Beach and Newport Beach, and set directly on the sand within Crystal Cove State Park, The Beachcomber remains one of Orange County’s most archetypal dining setups, where waves crash just beyond the patio railing and diners often arrive barefoot from the beach.
—Brock Keeling, Oc Register, 13 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for archetypal
Adjective
-
Tandoori Pizza is best known for combining classic Indian dishes, like tandoori chicken, malai paneer, curry chicken and chicken tikka and serving it on a pizza crust, the website showed.—
Emma Hall,
Sacbee.com,
17 June 2026
-
Melt-in-your-mouth satisfaction in fun flavors of single-serve packs from limited-edition sugar cookie and cinnamon bun to classic, white cheddar, limited-edition Spicy Dill Pickle and more.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 June 2026
Adjective
-
Activities include vacation standards like pools and a beach club along with less typical offerings like horseback riding on the beach, beach shelling by golf cart, and the resort’s Hawk Walk.—
Beth Luberecki,
USA Today,
16 June 2026
-
Reporters from England said this is a typical setup for the press covering the England men’s national team.—
Pete Grathoff
June 14,
Kansas City Star,
15 June 2026
Adjective
-
The xenophobic law meant that Yiddish-speaking Jews and Italians seeking to vote could be required to recite and write passages from the state Constitution, regardless of their level of education in their native tongues or whether their conduct as new Americans was exemplary.—
Robert Polner,
New York Daily News,
13 June 2026
-
Although, the Mobi Fold has an exemplary advantage in its replaceable, rechargeable battery.—
Scharon Harding,
ArsTechnica,
10 June 2026
Adjective
-
Now that the garden is complete aside from normal plant replacements, Sterman recognizes it as the expression of her own evolution and growth as a garden designer as well as changing views on waterwise gardening.—
Nicole Sours Larson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 June 2026
-
The West Coast is also bracing for rising temperatures, with highs climbing to 10 to 25 degrees above normal this weekend.—
Christine Rapp,
NBC news,
13 June 2026
Adjective
-
Amid her second pregnancy with Prince Harry, Diana attended the festivities with a young William, wearing a quintessential ’80s ensemble.—
Elle Meier,
InStyle,
13 June 2026
-
This is quintessential five-out offense, extremely difficult to guard because of the spacing and presence of five shooters on the floor.—
CJ Moore,
New York Times,
13 June 2026
Adjective
-
Next year, these plans for retirees will increase on average by less than 1%.—
William Melhado,
Sacbee.com,
18 June 2026
-
How heat can impact the body Typically, during extreme heat -- meaning temperatures are hotter or more humid than average -- the body tries to cool itself by sweating.—
Mary Kekatos,
ABC News,
18 June 2026
Adjective
-
In the most American of stories, the Idaho potato, forming half of the paradigmatic American meal (a burger and fries), only became a paradigm when gold was discovered in Idaho in 1860.—
Tamar Adler,
Vogue,
3 June 2026
-
This is perhaps a paradigmatic example of how AI can be useful today.—
Konstantin Kakaes,
Quanta Magazine,
13 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
OpenAI’s native checkout collapsed in March after Walmart reported conversion rates three times worse than standard e-commerce flows, and fewer than 30 Shopify merchants ever went live.—
Josipa Majic Predin,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2026
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To combat the physical toll of the journey, Qantas is configuring these aircraft to carry significantly fewer passengers than standard A350s — just 238, compared to the standard 400 — leaving more space for those on board.—
Jake McGowan,
CNN Money,
19 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Archetypal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/archetypal. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
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