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 vigilantes who hanged her were self-serving cattlemen.
—
Sandra Dallas, Denver Post, 28 Mar. 2026
In the Season 2 premiere, the task force is destroying local businesses on Fisk’s orders and cracking down on vigilantes prowling the streets.
—Jordan Moreau, Variety, 25 Mar. 2026
One gunman confirmed the vigilantes purchase guns from cartels, but would not say from which group.
—ABC News, 20 Mar. 2026
The vigilantes in Guajes de Ayala join a volatile landscape of warring armed groups — from cartels with tentacles across Latin America to local mafias — in regions like Guerrero ravaged by splintering cartels for decades.
—Megan Janetsky, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2026
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
My great-grandfather takes Mule Pass instead, heat in his lungs and 2,000 vigilantes at his back.
—Masha Hamilton, Longreads, 19 Feb. 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
Sandra Dallas, Denver Post, 28 Mar. 2026
In the Season 2 premiere, the task force is destroying local businesses on Fisk’s orders and cracking down on vigilantes prowling the streets.
—Jordan Moreau, Variety, 25 Mar. 2026
One gunman confirmed the vigilantes purchase guns from cartels, but would not say from which group.
—ABC News, 20 Mar. 2026
The vigilantes in Guajes de Ayala join a volatile landscape of warring armed groups — from cartels with tentacles across Latin America to local mafias — in regions like Guerrero ravaged by splintering cartels for decades.
—Megan Janetsky, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2026
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
My great-grandfather takes Mule Pass instead, heat in his lungs and 2,000 vigilantes at his back.
—Masha Hamilton, Longreads, 19 Feb. 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vigilantes
nemeses
Noun
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Related Stories Essiedu is set to play potions master Snape — one of Potter’s nemeses — in the upcoming streaming adaptation, a role previously played by Alan Rickman.—
K.J. Yossman,
Variety,
21 Mar. 2026
-
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
Cite this Entry
“Vigilantes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vigilantes. Accessed 10 Apr. 2026.
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