1
as in vigilante
one who inflicts punishment in return for an injury or offense
Batman is the Joker's main nemesis and always foils his wicked plots
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in punishment
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in curse
a source of harm or misfortune
irrationality is the nemesis of democracy, for good government depends upon the wisdom of the electorate
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Recent Examples of nemesis
The ongoing love-hate chemistry between Avon and his character’s arch nemesis, the head of the Federation, Servalan (Jacqueline Pearce), was an undeniable highlight.
—
Scott Snowden, Space.com, 22 Jan. 2026
The Bills’ odds got better when their nemesis, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, was lost for the season with a knee injury.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 21 Jan. 2026
The pic directed by Giselle Bonilla and starring Will Brill, Rob Lowe and Gillian Jacobs follows a frustrated playwright and middle school theater teacher who learns that his ex-girlfriend has started dating his nemesis, the school’s principal.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 20 Jan. 2026
Because Andy’s playing the kind of nemesis that smiles at you and puts his hand on you, almost politician-like.
—Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 18 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nemesis
Scott Snowden, Space.com, 22 Jan. 2026
The Bills’ odds got better when their nemesis, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, was lost for the season with a knee injury.
—Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 21 Jan. 2026
The pic directed by Giselle Bonilla and starring Will Brill, Rob Lowe and Gillian Jacobs follows a frustrated playwright and middle school theater teacher who learns that his ex-girlfriend has started dating his nemesis, the school’s principal.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 20 Jan. 2026
Because Andy’s playing the kind of nemesis that smiles at you and puts his hand on you, almost politician-like.
—Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 18 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nemesis
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nemesis
Noun
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But at the same time, law and order has significantly eroded with a troubling spike in vigilante lynchings and mob violence, as well as the abuse and online doxing of women in particular.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
28 Jan. 2026
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On Thanksgiving night in 1942, when Coretta was fifteen, white vigilantes burned their house to the ground.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Thompson had his original death sentence overturned and a new punishment trial was held in November 2005.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Thompson’s original death sentence was later overturned, but a jury again sentenced him to die by lethal injection following a new punishment trial in November 2005.—
Michael Sinkewicz,
FOXNews.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
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In the preview, it was mentioned that Leon has something called the Umbrella curse.—
Destiny Jackson,
Deadline,
26 Jan. 2026
-
In the 2002 comedy, McAdams plays a catty teen who's turned into, yep, Saturday Night Live alum Schneider, via a curse.—
Raechal Shewfelt,
Entertainment Weekly,
21 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
And it was signed, black dahlia avenger.—
Literary Hub,
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
Noun
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And farther north along Gleason Beach in Sonoma County, rapid erosion finally forced officials in 2020 to move a section of the road inland, to further avoid the ocean’s wrath.—
Grace Toohey,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Jan. 2026
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The mood in the crowd was widespread anger and sadness — recalling the same outpour of wrath that shook the city for weeks after the killing of George Floyd in 2020, although without the widespread rioting that had occurred then.—
Jack Brook,
Twin Cities,
25 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Relationships can feel like both a blessing and the bane of your existence, a source of joy and a source of frustration or resentment.—
Jessica A. Stern,
The Conversation,
23 Jan. 2026
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Instead of being a bane on the team, the defense was the reason Miami made it to the title game.—
Adam Lichtenstein,
Sun Sentinel,
21 Jan. 2026
Noun
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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
Noun
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The Lightning won the game in a penalty shootout thanks to goals from Kucherov, Gage Goncalves and Jake Guentzel.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
2 Feb. 2026
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His detractors, however, criticize the mayor for focusing on short-term housing for the homeless at the expense of long-term solutions, threatening to arrest homeless people, and supporting Proposition 36, which Newsom opposed, that toughened penalties against repeat drug and theft offenses.—
Julia Prodis Sulek,
Mercury News,
1 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nemesis.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nemesis. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
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