as in nemesis
one who inflicts punishment in return for an injury or offense
a novel about a man who becomes the obsessed avenger of his sister's death
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Recent Examples of avenger
But as all the world knows, Edmond Dantès did rise again, transformed from an innocent young sailor into that courtly yet implacable avenger, the Count of Monte Cristo.
—
Michael Dirda, The New York Review of Books, 19 Mar. 2026
And it was signed, black dahlia avenger.
—Literary Hub, 27 Jan. 2026
By the end of that first half hour, he has been unmasked as the bloody avenger of the backyard.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 24 Jan. 2026
Before she was known as Lady Van Tassel and terrorized the town in New York with her ghostly avenger, Mary went by the name Sarah Archer, a young girl trying to survive her witch of a mother.
—Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 20 Jan. 2026
When both young people meet their end the Baron saves Christina by putting Hans’ brain in Christina’s body, uniting their blurred identities in a joint thirst for revenge, creating a Gothic avenger who hunts down the aristocratic ruffians who ruined their happiness.
—Rory Doherty, Vulture, 20 Oct. 2025
Kirk had been building his reputation as an imperious, right-wing avenger on college campuses, debating anyone willing to step up to the microphone to challenge him.
—Michael Luo, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2025
Mangione's image has been merged into memes with Nintendo's Luigi, portraying him as a vigilante avenger of systemic injustice.
—Jesus Mesa, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025
An important, if subtle, difference between Meiko Kaji and Pam Grier as action stars is that, where Kaji is an avenger, Grier is a protector.
—Katie Rife, IndieWire, 20 Aug. 2025
Michael Dirda, The New York Review of Books, 19 Mar. 2026
And it was signed, black dahlia avenger.
—Literary Hub, 27 Jan. 2026
By the end of that first half hour, he has been unmasked as the bloody avenger of the backyard.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 24 Jan. 2026
Before she was known as Lady Van Tassel and terrorized the town in New York with her ghostly avenger, Mary went by the name Sarah Archer, a young girl trying to survive her witch of a mother.
—Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 20 Jan. 2026
When both young people meet their end the Baron saves Christina by putting Hans’ brain in Christina’s body, uniting their blurred identities in a joint thirst for revenge, creating a Gothic avenger who hunts down the aristocratic ruffians who ruined their happiness.
—Rory Doherty, Vulture, 20 Oct. 2025
Kirk had been building his reputation as an imperious, right-wing avenger on college campuses, debating anyone willing to step up to the microphone to challenge him.
—Michael Luo, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2025
Mangione's image has been merged into memes with Nintendo's Luigi, portraying him as a vigilante avenger of systemic injustice.
—Jesus Mesa, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025
An important, if subtle, difference between Meiko Kaji and Pam Grier as action stars is that, where Kaji is an avenger, Grier is a protector.
—Katie Rife, IndieWire, 20 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for avenger
Noun
-
Often mislabelled as Superman's nemesis, Lobo is more correctly a member of the Man of Steel's Rogues Gallery, but often crosses the line as his violent interactions see fit.—
Jeff Spry,
Space.com,
6 June 2026
-
Is dish soap the ultimate cast-iron skillet nemesis?—
Katherine McLaughlin,
Architectural Digest,
4 June 2026
Noun
-
For a storyteller whose works revolve around complicated or slippery romances, life-altering revelations, and fateful everyday encounters, the brutality of the mafia and New York City street vigilantes feels far removed from her own.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
4 June 2026
-
Howard played a detective investigating Foster, a New York City radio host who turns vigilante seeking revenge after her fiance is beaten to death.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
4 June 2026
Noun
-
Montgomery has barely been in the big leagues for two months but has already put his name alongside a couple of franchise icons (and another hard-core punisher of baseballs).—
Phil Rogers,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Avenger.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/avenger. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.
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