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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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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
-
Subway vigilantism existed as a vivid possibility long before there was ever a subway vigilante.—
Adam Gopnik,
New Yorker,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Aldis Hodge as the detective and forensic psychologist who looks into the minds of killers to catch them goes on the hunt in the second season trailer for Cross for a ruthless vigilante pursuing a billionaire businessman tied to the murder of a playboy.—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
For now, the SGG is allowed to rise only until her level of ambition or desire becomes societally untenable—then her audience demands punishment.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Monday, Iran's national police chief said protesters who turn themselves in by Thursday would receive lighter punishment.—
Olivia Young,
CBS News,
23 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
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
-
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
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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
Noun
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
Hendrickson proved to be too much, and Suamataia was benched for Morris after allowing two sacks and taking two holding penalties in the second half.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Jimenez’s movement drags Forest centre-back Nikola Milenkovic up the pitch, allowing Smith Rowe to carry the ball forward and progress the attack, which leads to the award of the penalty that proves to be the game’s only goal.—
Ahmed Walid,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nemesis.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nemesis. Accessed 28 Jan. 2026.
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