nemesis
noun
something that a person cannot conquer, achieve, etc..
nemesis
American
[nem-uh-sis]
/ ˈnɛm ə sɪs /
noun
-
nemeses
plural
-
something that a person cannot conquer, achieve, etc..
The performance test proved to be my nemesis.
- Synonyms:
- Waterloo
-
an opponent or rival whom a person cannot best or overcome.
-
(initial capital letter) the goddess of divine retribution.
-
an agent or act of retribution or punishment.
Nemesis
British
/ ˈnɛmɪsɪs /
noun
-
Greek myth the goddess of retribution and vengeance
-
(sometimes not capital) any agency of retribution and vengeance
Nemesis
Cultural
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
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.
Vocabulary lists containing nemesis
Superhero Lexicon
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The Kite Runner
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A Spelling Bee for Fun
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Of course, the hazard of Pogacar’s attacking is that he can drag along a strong nemesis.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 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
It appears He-Man has not seen the last of his nemesis — as long as a sequel is greenlit.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 5, 2026
What Sinner hadn’t counted on here was a rematch with his other nemesis: the scorching heat of the sun.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 28, 2026
They soon discovered that the problem was that old nemesis, contamination.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
After a fight broke out between those activists and the Jeune Garde, the Nemesis women left.
From Salon ● Mar. 28, 2026
A new attraction is being planned for Alton Towers' Forbidden Valley area which is also home to the newly rebuilt Nemesis ride.
From BBC ● Feb. 14, 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
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
I’m the child of Nemesis, Goddess of Revenge.
From "The Battle of the Labyrinth" by Rick Riordan
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
The official trailer for the sequel shows the chirpy red-capped Italian plumber cavorting with his friends and nemeses in a colourful intergalactic universe.
From Barron's ● Nov. 13, 2025
The long-incarcerated Janitor claims to have crucial information about the new murder, but he’ll only share it with his old nemeses.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 24, 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
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
