as in nemesis
one who inflicts punishment in return for an injury or offense
a father who regrets the fact that he always ends up being the household's disciplinarian and resident punisher
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Recent Examples of punisher
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
Phil Rogers, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for punisher
Noun
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Brandon Miller exited with left shoulder soreness and didn’t return, leaving a gray cloud over the Hornets’ scrappy performance against a team that’s been their arch nemesis.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
26 Oct. 2025
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Trump risks not just a setback to his redistricting power play ahead of the midterms, but delivering a victory to Newsom, his nemesis and a potential 2028 presidential candidate.—
Zac Anderson,
USA Today,
25 Oct. 2025
Noun
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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
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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
Noun
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After 15 years in Isfahan, Iran, one of his sisters and her children are being forced back to Afghanistan due to mass deportations and vigilante violence against Afghans in that country — including legal residents.—
Vidushi Mishti Sharma,
Rolling Stone,
24 Oct. 2025
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His past includes stints as a radio host and beret-wearing Guardian Angels anti-crime vigilante group founder.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
23 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Punisher.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/punisher. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
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