Nemesis
noun /ˈnɛməsɪs/ — The inescapable force that brings what is deserved.
Definition
The inescapable agent of one's downfall; a long-standing rival; the righteous punishment that a wrongdoer cannot avoid.
Beyond the definition
Every antagonist has a nemesis. Every overreach invites one. The word comes from the goddess of divine retribution — the force that restored cosmic balance by humbling the arrogant. In modern use it describes both the person who defeats you and the consequence you cannot outrun.
Origin & history
From Greek Nemesis, goddess of retribution — from nemein 'to give what is due'. She was depicted with a sword and scales, distributing fortune impartially.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
For a decade, that tennis player remained his nemesis — the one opponent he could never defeat.
Overconfidence had always been his nemesis; it was overconfidence that finally undid him.
She described procrastination as her nemesis — always waiting behind every deadline.
Synonyms
downfall, bane, adversary, retribution, archnemesis
Antonyms
ally, protector, benefactor
Related words
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Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Guardian at the maze
An adult stands before a stone maze with a towering, dark guardian figure standing at the entrance.
The imposing figure at the maze entrance represents a nemesis—an inescapable agent of trial. This captures the sense of facing a long-standing challenge that one must confront, serving as an unavoidable hurdle that tests the individual’s resolve.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration