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• nemesis
  nemesis

  noun

  something that a person cannot conquer, achieve, etc..
• Nemesis
  Nemesis

  noun

  Greek myth the goddess of retribution and vengeance

nemesis

American  

[nem-uh-sis] / ˈnɛm ə sɪs /

noun

• nemeses
  plural

1. something that a person cannot conquer, achieve, etc..

   The performance test proved to be my nemesis.

   Synonyms:

   Waterloo

2. an opponent or rival whom a person cannot best or overcome.

3. (initial capital letter) the goddess of divine retribution.

4. an agent or act of retribution or punishment.

   Synonyms:

   Waterloo, ruin, undoing, downfall

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Nemesis British  

/ ˈnɛmɪsɪs /

noun

1. Greek myth the goddess of retribution and vengeance

2. (sometimes not capital) any agency of retribution and vengeance

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Nemesis Cultural  

1. In classical mythology, the Greek goddess of vengeance.

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Discover More

By extension, a “nemesis” is an avenger. One's nemesis is that which will bring on one's destruction or downfall.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• nemeses
  plural

Etymology

Origin of nemesis

< Latin < Greek némesis literally, a dealing out, verbid of némein to dispense (justice); see -sis

Explanation

Use the word nemesis to describe someone or something that always causes you major problems, like the runner on another school's track team who, for years, has been beating your time by a fraction of a second. The word nemesis describes a rival who just somehow seems able to get the best of you. It can be someone you compete against, someone whose skills are nearly identical to yours and yet, your nemesis always seems to finish ahead of you, get a higher grade, and generally make you feel flustered. Nemesis can also refer to something that always causes you problems, like public speaking, the nemesis of those who get tongue-tied when nervous.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

nemesis Nemesis nemeses

There was no shortage of heavy-hitting contenders: Tour de France runner-up Remco Evenepoel; Evenepoel’s fellow Belgian Wout van Aert; occasional Pogacar nemesis Mathieu van der Poel; French prodigy Paul Seixas.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026

When Athing Mu-Nikolayev, Hodgkinson's American nemesis who beat her to gold at the Tokyo Olympics and Eugene 2022, slipped off the scene, the Briton had hoped to dominate the 800m.

From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2026

But that night in Oslo somehow transformed Norway into England’s most unlikely nemesis.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 11, 2026

In his resignation speech, Sir Keir did not mention his would-be nemesis by name, and announced that there would now be a contest to select a new Labour leader.

From BBC ● Jun. 22, 2026

I consider pointing out that nemesi might not actually be the plural of nemesis, but I figure I’ll quit while I’m ahead.

From "Challenger Deep" by Neal Shusterman

As an artist he has collaborated with numerous writers, including Neil Gaiman on the Sandman series, Pat Mills on 2000 AD's Nemesis The Warlock and Alan Moore.

From BBC ● Apr. 7, 2024

The god Nemesis then curses Narcissus, causing him to fall in love with his own reflection in a pool of water.

From Scientific American ● Aug. 16, 2023

Twenty years have passed since audiences last saw Lieutenant Commander Worf in action, in "Star Trek: Nemesis."

From Salon ● Mar. 2, 2023

Mr. O’Neill and Mr. Mills would go on to create the popular series Nemesis the Warlock, about a fire-breathing alien demon — the hero — in battle against a fanatically religious human dictator.

From New York Times ● Nov. 12, 2022

“You can’t take what Nemesis said to heart.”

From "The Mark of Athena" by Rick Riordan

Which of your childhood nemeses do you wish could see you now?

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 21, 2026

But the lasting lesson “Amadeus” teaches us is that real stars have nemeses.

From Salon ● May 16, 2026

Finally, ceilings necessarily keep any number of nemeses out.

From Slate ● May 9, 2026

Usually it plays out as a cute moment, the assembled gaggle cooing awwww at the exchange as the queried party answers far more effusively than they do for their daily adult nemeses.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 21, 2025

We tried to pretend the other didn’t exist even though the existence of our nemeses kept us both occupied for hours.

From "If I Stay" by Gayle Forman

Related Words

• adversary