nemesis
NEM-uh-sis
/ˈnɛməsɪs/
A long-standing rival; an inescapable agent of someone's downfall.
The ultimate opponent. It implies a rival who consistently defeats you, or a personal weakness that repeatedly causes your failure.
The story behind the word. In ancient Greek mythology, Nemesis was the goddess of divine retribution and vengeance. She was responsible for punishing hubris (excessive pride) and distributing fortunes fairly so that no single human became too powerful or arrogant.
Word relationships
- arch-enemy: Arch-enemy implies active, conscious evil and hatred; a nemesis can be an inanimate obstacle or a force of poetic justice.
- downfall: Downfall is the event of ruin; nemesis is the agent or person that causes that ruin.
- savior: A savior rescues you from ruin, whereas a nemesis brings about your downfall.
- benefactor: A benefactor provides financial or personal help to ensure your success.
Commonly confused with
- rival: A rival is a balanced competitor; a nemesis is a dominant foe who consistently brings you down.
Word family
- nemeses (noun): The plural form of nemesis.
Collocations
- personal nemesis
- meet one's nemesis
- ultimate nemesis
- career nemesis
Example sentences
- "The final exam in advanced organic chemistry proved to be the pre-med student's nemesis." Academic struggle
Memory hook
My NEMESIS is my worst ENEMY who always leaves me in a crisis. The goddess of poetic justice and downfall.
When not to use
Do not use for a common, easily defeated opponent. A nemesis is someone you struggle to beat, often representing your poetic justice.
Fun facts
- In astronomy, 'Nemesis' is the name of a hypothetical companion star to the Sun, proposed to explain periodic mass extinctions on Earth.
Explore more words
enmity, antagonist, hubris, antipathy, relentless, inevitable
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