vigilantes

plural of vigilante
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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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of vigilantes By 1964-65, inflation was on the rise, and bond vigilantes demanded higher yields. Steve H. Hanke, Fortune, 24 Aug. 2026 Through its own websites, the mysterious group has been portraying itself as vigilantes out to rein in greedy video game developers. Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 21 Aug. 2026 No fanfare had attended its completion near what is now Santa Clarita in 1926, the better to avoid attention from Owens Valley vigilantes, who were known to dynamite aqueduct pipes as protest against the diversion of their river water. Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2026 The massacre devastated Wilmington’s flourishing Black middle class and sent a message of impunity to white vigilantes nationwide. Namara Smith, New Yorker, 5 Aug. 2026 Bands of vigilantes went after the animals with cricket bats or swerved deliberately to run them over, but the toads continued their relentless spread. Kimon De Greef, Longreads, 4 Aug. 2026 Countless vigilantes have taken to the roadways armed with trash bags, spray paint, laser pointers, and power drills to render the surveillance poles useless, resulting in arrests and investigations by police. Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 30 July 2026 Dozens of Flock cameras have been forcibly disabled in recent weeks, with many people cheering on the vigilantes. T.m. Brown, CNN Money, 30 July 2026 In Spider-Man, Holland’s Peter Parker knows Bernthal’s Frank Castle/Punisher as one of several vigilantes roaming the streets of New York City. Tommy McArdle, PEOPLE, 28 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vigilantes
nemeses
Noun
  • Lucy Hutton and Joshua Templeton are workplace nemeses who serve as executive assistants to co-CEOs of a publishing company.
    Kayla Olson, PEOPLE, 16 June 2026
  • The actors played each other's nemeses in the comedy series created by and starring Seth Rogen.
    Marina Watts, Entertainment Weekly, 9 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Vigilantes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vigilantes. Accessed 3 Sep. 2026.

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