1
as in vigilantes
one who inflicts punishment in return for an injury or offense
Batman is the Joker's main nemesis and always foils his wicked plots
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in punishments
suffering, loss, or hardship imposed in response to a crime or offense
social ostracism was once society's nemesis for those who defied its sexual mores
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in curses
a source of harm or misfortune
irrationality is the nemesis of democracy, for good government depends upon the wisdom of the electorate
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of nemeses
So have their nemeses in the LAPD.
—
Los Angeles Times, 15 Apr. 2026
Related Stories Essiedu is set to play potions master Snape — one of Potter’s nemeses — in the upcoming streaming adaptation, a role previously played by Alan Rickman.
—K.j. Yossman, Variety, 21 Mar. 2026
Pete McBride Advertisement Five and half decades ago, two Colorado River nemeses, Floyd Dominy of the Bureau of Reclamation (pro-dam) and David Brower of the Sierra Club (anti-dam), did just that.
—Pete McBride, Time, 27 Feb. 2026
By fighting for fairness and equality, while simultaneously asking us to care for others with compassion and empathy (sharing this with our frenemies and nemeses will be hard, but valuable in teaching them to be kind).
—Lisa Stardust, Refinery29, 30 Jan. 2026
Lesbian agitators, such as Good, are its nemeses.
—Ta-Nehisi Coates, Vanity Fair, 26 Jan. 2026
With a brief mini-break in the rearview mirror, the Charlotte Hornets got back to action Thursday night, taking on one of their nemeses in the Southeast Division.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 19 Dec. 2025
There’s talk of death and murder (comically), and many nemeses are intent on destroying each other.
—Lynnette Nicholas, Parents, 8 Dec. 2025
Separately, Miranda gives a courtesy notice to all nemeses of Whitney that Whitney may attend her upcoming birthday party.
—Olivia Crandall, Vulture, 13 Nov. 2025
Los Angeles Times, 15 Apr. 2026
Related Stories Essiedu is set to play potions master Snape — one of Potter’s nemeses — in the upcoming streaming adaptation, a role previously played by Alan Rickman.
—K.j. Yossman, Variety, 21 Mar. 2026
Pete McBride Advertisement Five and half decades ago, two Colorado River nemeses, Floyd Dominy of the Bureau of Reclamation (pro-dam) and David Brower of the Sierra Club (anti-dam), did just that.
—Pete McBride, Time, 27 Feb. 2026
By fighting for fairness and equality, while simultaneously asking us to care for others with compassion and empathy (sharing this with our frenemies and nemeses will be hard, but valuable in teaching them to be kind).
—Lisa Stardust, Refinery29, 30 Jan. 2026
Lesbian agitators, such as Good, are its nemeses.
—Ta-Nehisi Coates, Vanity Fair, 26 Jan. 2026
With a brief mini-break in the rearview mirror, the Charlotte Hornets got back to action Thursday night, taking on one of their nemeses in the Southeast Division.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 19 Dec. 2025
There’s talk of death and murder (comically), and many nemeses are intent on destroying each other.
—Lynnette Nicholas, Parents, 8 Dec. 2025
Separately, Miranda gives a courtesy notice to all nemeses of Whitney that Whitney may attend her upcoming birthday party.
—Olivia Crandall, Vulture, 13 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nemeses
Noun
-
Yet the vigilantes went too far, and labor organizations called on the state government to intervene.—
Amelia Soth,
JSTOR Daily,
15 Apr. 2026
-
The vigilantes who hanged her were self-serving cattlemen.—
Sandra Dallas,
Denver Post,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The work that matters now is not designing punishments for China.—
Eyck Freymann,
Time,
17 Apr. 2026
-
None of the students involved in a group chat that shared racist slurs and antisemitic speech have faced suspension or expulsion since the chats came to light five weeks ago and Nuñez announced stiff punishments were on the table.—
Raisa Habersham,
Miami Herald,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
There are still deliveries of hate mail from conservative neighbors who disapprove of their lifestyle, and occasional drive-bys punctuated with curses yelled from car windows, but they’ve largely been accepted by the community.—
Stephanie Breijo,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Pay multiple people from the crafts site Etsy to perform tarot readings, lift any existing curses and otherwise engage in witchcraft.—
Tyler Estep,
AJC.com,
4 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The Capitals are 17-7-1 in games their opponents commit more penalties.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
12 Apr. 2026
-
The other bill would decriminalize the substance, removing the current legal penalties that exist for anyone caught with some.—
Esme Murphy,
CBS News,
11 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Court records show a trail of threats preceded Tiffany Woods’ death.—
Meredith Colias-Pete,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Apr. 2026
-
But internal threats to the show are one thing, and Lorne Michaels is flawed and complicated in ways that not even some of his long-time collaborators will ever see for themselves.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The actresses play the delightful mother-daughter duo Angela and Ainsley — who are oftentimes the banes of Tommy's (Billy Bob Thornton) existence — in the Taylor Sheridan series.—
Julia Moore,
PEOPLE,
28 Dec. 2025
-
But along with ready cash, the laissez-faire approach brought the banes of corruption, criminal infiltration, and rampant pollution.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
15 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Our roads are concussion- and whiplash-inducing menaces.—
Ticked Off,
The Orlando Sentinel,
18 Mar. 2026
-
But the ability to beat back our more routine pathological menaces is a good indicator of the country’s ability to take on bigger, more virulent threats.—
Vann R. Newkirk II,
The Atlantic,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nemeses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nemeses. Accessed 20 Apr. 2026.
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