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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The Padres’ latest addition to the starting rotation competition is an old nemesis who has fallen on hard times.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
17 Feb. 2026
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Some American viewers were pulled into it by a boring—and slightly embarrassing—poster of Harrison Ford, smirking in a suit, while a loyal Melanie Griffith clings to his shoulder and Sigourney Weaver, as befits her role of nemesis, gives a wicked smile.—
Anthony Lane,
New Yorker,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
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And it was signed, black dahlia avenger.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Jan. 2026
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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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As the body count rises, Inspector Jack Phatudi is drawn into a dangerous manhunt to unmask the vigilante.—
Leo Barraclough,
Variety,
18 Feb. 2026
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Amid mounting pressure from both vigilante violence and municipal manipulation, Dearing settled the condemnation lawsuit and moved his family to 7th Street in West Oakland.—
Chase Hunter,
Mercury News,
17 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Punisher.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/punisher. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.
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