1
as in forerunner
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 original
something from which copies are made
Beowulf is considered by some scholars to be the archetype for medieval British heroic tales
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of archetype
Everyone is just performing the most-predictable version of their respective character archetypes.
—
ArsTechnica, 27 May 2025
That September, President Nixon approved a plan to develop the new spy satellite, which became the archetype for all that followed.
—William J. Broad, New York Times, 19 May 2025
Caitlyn, Zac, Curtis and Marcel aren’t particularly surprising or complex characters; the latter two, particularly, seem lifted from the big book of teen-drama archetypes.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 19 May 2025
In its 2025 Work Trend Index, Microsoft introduced a new archetype for the AI era: the Agent Boss: employees who don’t just use AI, but lead it.
—Nirit Cohen, Forbes.com, 18 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for archetype
ArsTechnica, 27 May 2025
That September, President Nixon approved a plan to develop the new spy satellite, which became the archetype for all that followed.
—William J. Broad, New York Times, 19 May 2025
Caitlyn, Zac, Curtis and Marcel aren’t particularly surprising or complex characters; the latter two, particularly, seem lifted from the big book of teen-drama archetypes.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 19 May 2025
In its 2025 Work Trend Index, Microsoft introduced a new archetype for the AI era: the Agent Boss: employees who don’t just use AI, but lead it.
—Nirit Cohen, Forbes.com, 18 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for archetype
Recent Examples of Synonyms for archetype
Noun
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The forerunner of today’s sleek MacBook laptops was the PowerBook.—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
11 June 2025
-
Frederick Ashton’s for the Sadler’s Wells Ballet (the forerunner of the Royal Ballet) in 1952, with a resplendent Margot Fonteyn in the title role, put the ballet back into the mainstream repertory, though it wasn’t performed by the Royal from the mid-1960s to 2004.—
Roslyn Sulcas,
New York Times,
30 May 2025
Noun
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The sequel moves away from the pixelated look of the original as the developers have shifted to polygons for a more beautiful world.—
Gieson Cacho,
Mercury News,
6 June 2025
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Like the 1929 original, the A50 Junior is a thing of true beauty, both in the air and on the ground.—
Robb Report Studio,
Robb Report,
6 June 2025
Noun
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Now is the time to stand up for every American’s First Amendment right to tell their story, to dissent from the government’s world view, to celebrate the resilience and fortitude of ancestors who fought for their rights and their culture in this country.—
John Leguizamo,
New York Daily News,
6 June 2025
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Names carry the legacy of our ancestors, the history of our culture, and the desires of our parents.—
Annabelle Canela,
Parents,
5 June 2025
Noun
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Taking place in June 2023, American Thunder: NASCAR to Le Mans studies the story of when an American stock car Chevrolet Camaro competed against the futuristic Ferrari and Porsche prototypes in the grueling 24-hour challenge.—
Billie Melissa,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 June 2025
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This is a polished-looking prototype but not necessarily a pending commercial product.—
John Burek,
PC Magazine,
28 May 2025
Noun
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By World Health Organization (WHO) standards established in 1994, this designates a person as having osteopenia — often a precursor to osteoporosis.—
Jia H. Jung,
Mercury News,
4 June 2025
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Leverton said trends like western, cottagecore, Americana and conservative styles of dress, in general, were precursors to where things were the U.S. presidential election was heading last year.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
30 May 2025
Noun
-
The likely outcome will be more paperwork on imports and burdens on small businesses, with less scrutiny at the source of production.—
Rhonda Richford,
Footwear News,
8 June 2025
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Yerevan has since sought to diversify its defense sources, reducing arms imports from Russia to as low as 10 percent by 2024.—
Paul Iddon,
Forbes.com,
8 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Archetype.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/archetype. Accessed 15 Jun. 2025.
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