nemesis
noun
Agnes Morely CleavelandDonald Culross PeattieJack Cox
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Nemesis and Greek Mythology
Nemesis was the Greek goddess of vengeance, a deity who doled out rewards for noble acts and punishment for evil ones. The Greeks believed that Nemesis didn't always punish an offender immediately but might wait generations to avenge a crime. In English, nemesis originally referred to someone who brought a just retribution, but nowadays people are more likely to see simple animosity rather than justice in the actions of a nemesis (consider the motivations of Batman’s perennial foe the Joker, for example).
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Examples of nemesis in a Sentence
Jaime Diaz, Sports Illustrated, 20 Feb. 1995
Japan and Iraq have been floated as possible successors for the role once filled by Amercia's old nemesis, the Soviet Union …
—Michiko Kakutani, New York Times, 18 June 1993
In the beginning were the words, winged at first until, paralysed, they fell to earth and were imprisoned by their nemesis, the alphabet.
—Erich Segal, Times Literary Supplement, 12 July 1991
Thus, once surgeons implant the new graft, tissue rejection—the unforgiving nemesis of most transplant attempts—occurs in only 3% to 5% of cases.
—Christine Gorman et al., Time, 7 Dec. 1987
He will be playing his old nemesis for the championship.
Batman is the Joker's main nemesis and always foils his wicked plots.
Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 21 Oct. 2024
Meanwhile, Khaleda Zia, leader of the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Hasina’s longtime nemesis, was released from house arrest, and a ban was rescinded on Bangladesh’s main Islamist party, Jamaat-e-Islami.
—Charlie Campbell, TIME, 3 Oct. 2024
After a slow start, the Gophers football team is riding a three-game winning streak to Illinois for a crucial matchup against old nemesis Bret Bielema.
—Nick Halter, Axios, 1 Nov. 2024
Saweetie posted to her Instagram grid several times to share her spot-on tribute to one of Batman's most notorious nemeses, including editing herself into an actual scene from the movie.
—Marci Robin, Allure, 31 Oct. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Nemesis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nemesis. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
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nemesis
noun
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