1
as in vigilante
one who inflicts punishment in return for an injury or offense
Batman is the Joker's main nemesis and always foils his wicked plots
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in punishment
suffering, loss, or hardship imposed in response to a crime or offense
social ostracism was once society's nemesis for those who defied its sexual mores
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in curse
a source of harm or misfortune
irrationality is the nemesis of democracy, for good government depends upon the wisdom of the electorate
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of nemesis
This is a study in hubris and nemesis, not structural determinism.
—
Andrew Latham, The Conversation, 15 Apr. 2025
On California’s North Coast, where other urchin nemeses — like otters, spiny lobsters and sheephead — are lacking, 96% of the region’s kelp forests vanished in the decade following the sea star collapse.
—Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2025
For the upstart football league, the women’s Final Four proved to be far too big to tackle, while the breakaway golf faction took a beating care of the UConn-South Carolina title tilt on ABC while losing a key head-to-head battle with its nemeses at the PGA Tour.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 9 Apr. 2025
Once a nemesis of Trump, Bezos has sought to curry favor with the new administration and donated big bucks to his inauguration committee along with other Big Tech moguls.
—Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 29 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nemesis
Andrew Latham, The Conversation, 15 Apr. 2025
On California’s North Coast, where other urchin nemeses — like otters, spiny lobsters and sheephead — are lacking, 96% of the region’s kelp forests vanished in the decade following the sea star collapse.
—Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2025
For the upstart football league, the women’s Final Four proved to be far too big to tackle, while the breakaway golf faction took a beating care of the UConn-South Carolina title tilt on ABC while losing a key head-to-head battle with its nemeses at the PGA Tour.
—Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 9 Apr. 2025
Once a nemesis of Trump, Bezos has sought to curry favor with the new administration and donated big bucks to his inauguration committee along with other Big Tech moguls.
—Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 29 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nemesis
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nemesis
Noun
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Udo Kier gets his fangs ripped out with pliers and Kris Kristofferson is a grizzled vigilante vampire hunter.—
Jordan Crucchiola,
Vulture,
26 Apr. 2025
-
So there's going to be people, vigilantes, superheroes that are involved in that.—
Nick Romano,
EW.com,
18 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Though itself a form of punishment, the breathalyzers were also pitched as a compromise to prevent people from losing their driving privileges entirely—something that can be devastating in a country where driving is often essential for work and daily life.—
Mack DeGeurin,
Popular Science,
15 May 2025
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On the same day she was sworn into office, Pirro unveiled on Wednesday evening the punishment for two men who carried out a broad-daylight drive-by shooting near a D.C. elementary school.—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
15 May 2025
Noun
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This wasn't the first time one reduced me to spewing curses, just the first time a robot has accused me of impertinence.—
Mark Phelan,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2025
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But many are finding that blessing comes with a curse.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Willkie Farr & Gallagher last week became the latest law firm to strike a deal with the White House and escape President Trump’s wrath.—
Ben Protess,
New York Times,
9 Apr. 2025
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And Augusta National Golf Club did not escape the storm’s wrath.—
Bob Spear,
Charlotte Observer,
7 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Wolfsbane is part of a larger suite of banes; compounds and derivatives include ratsbane, fleabane, and cow-bane, each name signaling a different poison.—
Laura Murphy,
JSTOR Daily,
28 Feb. 2025
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Charging my Apple Watch every day is the bane of my existence, and despite years of efforts to improve it, the closest that Apple has come is to launch … fast charging?—
Adrienne So,
Wired News,
24 Apr. 2025
Noun
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What are penalties for driving under the influence?—
Sarah Linn,
Sacbee.com,
9 May 2025
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North Texas lawmakers are calling for stiffer penalties for intoxicated drivers after three members of a Fort Worth family were killed in a November 2023 crash.—
Eleanor Dearman,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
8 May 2025
Noun
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He’s become the face of President Donald Trump’s threats to abandon Ukraine, massive foreign aid cuts and a deportation policy that has split the public.—
Francesca Chambers,
USA Today,
9 May 2025
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Further compromising cities' structural integrity is the damage from extreme weather, amplified by climate change, which wasn't included in the study but nonetheless poses a threat.—
Li Cohen
May 8,
CBS News,
8 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Nemesis.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nemesis. Accessed 20 May. 2025.
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