as in nemeses
one who inflicts punishment in return for an injury or offense
the danger of these self-appointed vigilantes is that they sometimes go after innocent people
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Recent Examples of vigilantes
The film is an offbeat comedy following Cory, a lonely tech worker drawn into a quirky Los Angeles underground world of plant-loving vigilantes.
—
Matt Grobar, Deadline, 11 Mar. 2026
Eventually, this revolt from bond vigilantes will make lawmakers bite the bullet.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 15 Feb. 2026
Square-jawed detectives were tripping over corpses at midtown construction sites, blind vigilantes were redecorating Hell’s Kitchen with body parts and even poor Lester the doorman ended up dead in an Upper West Side courtyard fountain.
—Benjamin Svetkey, HollywoodReporter, 11 Feb. 2026
The southern United States under the Jim Crow system of segregation, for example, was governed by a form of racial fascism premised not on a single powerful leader, but on decentralized groups of vigilantes and terrorists.
—Literary Hub, 30 Jan. 2026
Peaceful Civil Rights-era marches and protests often turned into bloody, brutal and murderous affairs, fueled by inhumane law enforcement tactics and vigilantes operating with impunity.
—Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 29 Jan. 2026
On some of our night shifts the total dead numbered in the double digits—some dispatched by cops, others by vigilantes, rival narcos, or freelance tiradors.
—Sean Williams, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
The resultant impunity means people turn to alternative structures for protection, from vigilantes to the very criminals that oppress them.
—Obi Anyadike, semafor.com, 26 Jan. 2026
But Grainier’s defining quality translates to inaction when a group of vigilantes attacks one of his co-workers.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 24 Nov. 2025
Matt Grobar, Deadline, 11 Mar. 2026
Eventually, this revolt from bond vigilantes will make lawmakers bite the bullet.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 15 Feb. 2026
Square-jawed detectives were tripping over corpses at midtown construction sites, blind vigilantes were redecorating Hell’s Kitchen with body parts and even poor Lester the doorman ended up dead in an Upper West Side courtyard fountain.
—Benjamin Svetkey, HollywoodReporter, 11 Feb. 2026
The southern United States under the Jim Crow system of segregation, for example, was governed by a form of racial fascism premised not on a single powerful leader, but on decentralized groups of vigilantes and terrorists.
—Literary Hub, 30 Jan. 2026
Peaceful Civil Rights-era marches and protests often turned into bloody, brutal and murderous affairs, fueled by inhumane law enforcement tactics and vigilantes operating with impunity.
—Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 29 Jan. 2026
On some of our night shifts the total dead numbered in the double digits—some dispatched by cops, others by vigilantes, rival narcos, or freelance tiradors.
—Sean Williams, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
The resultant impunity means people turn to alternative structures for protection, from vigilantes to the very criminals that oppress them.
—Obi Anyadike, semafor.com, 26 Jan. 2026
But Grainier’s defining quality translates to inaction when a group of vigilantes attacks one of his co-workers.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 24 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vigilantes
nemeses
Noun
-
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
Cite this Entry
“Vigilantes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vigilantes. Accessed 19 Mar. 2026.
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