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
Vinicius was once again tormented by old nemesis Pablo Maffeo throughout the action, and was therefore heated at full time and caught causing a rumpus in the tunnel.
—
Tom Sanderson, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025
Evans will be reunited in Sunday’s NFC wild-card game with cornerback Marshon Lattimore, his former Saints nemesis who was traded to the Commanders.
—Rick Stroud, Orlando Sentinel, 10 Jan. 2025
In the wake of their latest rift, Dwight Howard has offered to hash out his differences with Shaquille O’Neal by extending an invitation to his longtime nemesis to appear on his podcast.
—Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 8 Jan. 2025
Additionally, Syria’s rebels have spent years fending off attacks from two longtime nemeses of the West: Assad and Russia.
—Delaney Simon, Foreign Affairs, 2 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for nemesis 
Tom Sanderson, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025
Evans will be reunited in Sunday’s NFC wild-card game with cornerback Marshon Lattimore, his former Saints nemesis who was traded to the Commanders.
—Rick Stroud, Orlando Sentinel, 10 Jan. 2025
In the wake of their latest rift, Dwight Howard has offered to hash out his differences with Shaquille O’Neal by extending an invitation to his longtime nemesis to appear on his podcast.
—Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 8 Jan. 2025
Additionally, Syria’s rebels have spent years fending off attacks from two longtime nemeses of the West: Assad and Russia.
—Delaney Simon, Foreign Affairs, 2 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for nemesis
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nemesis
Noun
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Alawites now whisper of vigilante attacks and neighbors forced to flee their homes at gunpoint.—
Nabih Bulos,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Jan. 2025
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His heroes are often murderous vigilantes doling out death sentences to greedy politicians, officials and businessmen.—
Anupama Chopra,
The Hollywood Reporter,
22 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Please remember that Rikers is not meant to be a place for punishment.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
28 Jan. 2025
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Only in the mid-nineteenth century did the English word become synonymous with the idea of time coming to a full stop, signalling both punishment and redemption.—
Arthur Krystal,
The New Yorker,
27 Jan. 2025
Noun
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The verdict: Its flavor was nothing short of despicably vile, which made Orly’s nail-biting polish both a gift and a curse along my journey to end my bad habit.—
Jennifer Hussein,
Allure,
30 Jan. 2025
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The long-standing curse of the new-music concert is a tendency toward miscellany.—
Alex Ross,
The New Yorker,
27 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Bruno Fernandes volleyed in a stoppage-time winner, saving United’s electrical equipment from Ruben Amorim’s wrath and keeping them in shape to progress to the round of 16 automatically.—
Phil Hay,
The Athletic,
24 Jan. 2025
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Georgia pecan farmers also suffered from the wrath of Helene, losing nearly a third of the state’s annual harvest.—
Ashley Miznazi,
Miami Herald,
24 Jan. 2025
Noun
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This thing has become the bane of my existence ... GREWAL takes it and places it on her mobile desktop.—
Ayad Akhtar,
The Atlantic,
4 Dec. 2024
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The work has become the bane of residents' existence.—
Steph Solis,
Axios,
31 Oct. 2024
Noun
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Perhaps no other team would be as comfortable effectively shelling out more than $35 million per season for left-handed reliever Tanner Scott, including salary and a 110 percent luxury-tax penalty.—
Ken Rosenthal,
The Athletic,
21 Jan. 2025
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Data breaches and cyberattacks jeopardize patient information, erode trust and incur heavy penalties.—
Paul Kovalenko,
Forbes,
21 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Those funds went toward identifying and responding to health emergencies and stopping disease threats from spreading across borders, according to the WHO’s website.—
Alejandra O’Connell-Domenech,
The Hill,
21 Jan. 2025
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As a former Soviet republic, Latvia has highlighted the threat posed by Moscow after the war in Ukraine.—
Justin Gest,
Newsweek,
20 Jan. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Nemesis.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nemesis. Accessed 4 Feb. 2025.
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