variants
also archetypical
1
as in classic
constituting, serving as, or worthy of being a pattern to be imitated
St. Peter's basilica in Rome is considered by some art historians to be the archetypal structure in the baroque style
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in typical
having or showing the qualities associated with the members of a particular group or kind
the movie's hero is pretty archetypal, lacking in any distinctive qualities that would distinguish him from countless other masked avengers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for archetypal
Adjective
-
Ten looks from her archives will close out the show with a focus on classic glamour.—
Lisa Lockwood,
Footwear News,
28 Mar. 2025 -
Whether your aesthetic leans vintage eclectic or organic modern, there's something for everyone with our range of seating options: Choose from colorful velvet, classic leather, and even curved details.—
Lauren Thomann,
Better Homes & Gardens,
28 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Take a regular fast-food consumer who eats a typical meal of a burger on an industrial bun, fries and a soda, or a hot dog on industrial bread with chips and soda.—
Sandee LaMotte,
CNN Money,
8 Apr. 2025
-
Gaining insights into tariff talks would fall squarely within Beijing's typical spying domains, Gundert said.—
Sam Sabin,
Axios,
8 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The unusual combination of Kurtis, the quintessential anchorman, and Jacobson, a scrappy muckraker, became the yin and yang of local TV news, forming one of the most iconic teams in Chicago broadcast history.—
Robert Channick,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Mar. 2025
-
Derik Queen’s thrilling fadeaway bank shot on Sunday night to send Maryland men’s basketball to its first Sweet 16 since 2016 and only the second time in the past two decades might be the quintessential snapshot of the season.—
Edward Lee,
Baltimore Sun,
25 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
O’Leary cited data that of the Top 100 movies each year, the top 20 movies all had an average window exclusive to theaters of 49 days, compared to just 31 days for the bottom 80 films.—
Brian Welk,
IndieWire,
4 Apr. 2025
-
Household Finances Under Pressure: The resumption of student loan payments has already pushed millions into delinquency, with average credit scores expected to drop by 141 points (WSJ).—
Bob Haber,
Forbes.com,
4 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Braking, via 4-wheel disc brakes with standard ABS, is efficient.—
Josh Max,
Forbes.com,
28 Mar. 2025
-
The series, working with plenty of time never forsakes a standard television clip.—
Anthony Paletta,
The Washington Examiner,
28 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Crypto Confidential: Forbes' definitive guide to crypto and blockchain, delivered to your inbox every Saturday.—
Andrea Tinianow,
Forbes.com,
10 Apr. 2025
-
Written by Mexican composer José Alfredo Jiménez in 1971, the song gained even greater prominence when Fernández recorded his definitive version two years later.—
Isabela Raygoza,
Billboard,
9 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
This health condition occurs when your blood sugar is slightly higher than normal but not yet in the range for type 2 diabetes.—
Julia Ries,
Health,
9 Apr. 2025
-
Augusta National operates differently than normal places.—
Brody Miller,
New York Times,
9 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Nicholas Bear Bade, who are both transgender males, have exemplary service records, the judge wrote.—
Bart Jansen,
USA TODAY,
24 Mar. 2025
-
These exemplary representatives of Gen Z offer hope for a post-climate future for occasionally dejected Gen-Xers like me.—
Erik Kobayashi-Solomon,
Forbes,
20 Mar. 2025
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Cite this Entry
“Archetypal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/archetypal. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share