nemesis
something that a person cannot conquer, achieve, etc.: The performance test proved to be my nemesis.
an opponent or rival whom a person cannot best or overcome.
(initial capital letter)Classical Mythology. the goddess of divine retribution.
an agent or act of retribution or punishment.
Origin of nemesis
1Other words for nemesis
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use nemesis in a sentence
Unsurprisingly, working in such an emotionally charged field, Herman amasses nemeses.
Exclusive: ‘X-Men’ Sex Abuse Lawyer Says He Was Assaulted, Too | Tim Teeman | May 6, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTAnd of course, there are a few choice pieces of hate mail from the superhero's assorted nemeses.
And Zuckerberg and his friends did routinely refer to their nemeses as "the Winklevii."
Indeed, the city is as much a character in the novel as Jeffrey and Randall and their various nemeses.
And then (thunderclap) one of wine's darkest nemeses appeared: the artichoke.
Again, in that which gives artistic character to the reaction and the retribution the two nemeses differ.
Shakespeare as a Dramatic Artist | Richard G. MoultonAgain, the nemeses have a further emphasis given to them by prophecy.
Shakespeare as a Dramatic Artist | Richard G. MoultonAt Smyrna, where the population was very mixed, Pausanias mentions two Nemeses.
The World of Homer | Andrew Lang
British Dictionary definitions for Nemesis
/ (ˈnɛmɪsɪs) /
Greek myth the goddess of retribution and vengeance
(sometimes not capital) any agency of retribution and vengeance
Origin of Nemesis
1Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Cultural definitions for Nemesis
[ (nem-uh-sis) ]
In classical mythology, the Greek goddess of vengeance.
Notes for Nemesis
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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