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
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Kite Runner
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
A Spelling Bee for Fun
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
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
Messengers on horseback cross the linen field of vision and bring Harold to meet his nemesis and relative by marriage, Duke William, aka William the Bastard.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 26, 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
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
But he knew that she’d forever be my nemesis.
From "Sir Fig Newton and the Science of Persistence" by Sonja Thomas
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
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
Next to that were the cabins of Iris, Nemesis, Hecate, and several others I didn’t recognize.
From "The Last Olympian" 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 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
The bad news for Pope is he is about to come up against one of his nemeses in Indian magician Jasprit Bumrah.
From BBC ● Jun. 19, 2025
Folks informed on business rivals, ancient nemeses, and neighbors, recounting old conversations where the traitors had uttered forbidden sympathies.
From "The Underground Railroad: A Novel" by Colson Whitehead
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.
