enemy

[ en-uh-mee ]
See synonyms for: enemyenemies on Thesaurus.com

noun,plural en·e·mies.
  1. a person who feels hatred for, fosters harmful designs against, or engages in antagonistic activities against another; an adversary or opponent.

  2. an armed foe; an opposing military force: The army attacked the enemy at dawn.

  1. a hostile nation or state.

  2. a citizen of such a state.

  3. enemies, persons, nations, etc., that are hostile to one another: Let's make up and stop being enemies.

  4. something harmful or prejudicial: His unbridled ambition is his worst enemy.

  5. the Enemy, the Devil; Satan.

adjective
  1. belonging to a hostile power or to any of its nationals: enemy property.

  2. Obsolete. inimical; ill-disposed.

Origin of enemy

1
First recorded in 1300–1350; Middle English enemi, from Anglo-French, Old French, from Latin inimicus “unfriendly,” equivalent to in- in-3 + amicus “friendly, friend”; see amicable

synonym study For enemy

1. Enemy, foe refer to a dangerous public or personal adversary. Enemy emphasizes the idea of hostility: to overcome the enemy; a bitter enemy. Foe, a more literary word, may be used interchangeably with enemy, but emphasizes somewhat more the danger to be feared from such a one: deadly foe; arch foe of humankind ( the Devil ).

Grammar notes for enemy

Other words for enemy

Opposites for enemy

Other words from enemy

  • non·en·e·my, noun, plural non·en·e·mies.

Words Nearby enemy

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use enemy in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for enemy

enemy

/ (ˈɛnəmɪ) /


nounplural -mies
  1. a person hostile or opposed to a policy, cause, person, or group, esp one who actively tries to do damage; opponent

    • an armed adversary; opposing military force

    • (as modifier): enemy aircraft

    • a hostile nation or people

    • (as modifier): an enemy alien

  1. something that harms or opposes; adversary: courage is the enemy of failure

Origin of enemy

1
C13: from Old French enemi, from Latin inimīcus hostile, from in- 1 + amīcus friend

Other words from enemy

  • Related adjective: inimical

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