frenemy

American  

[fren-uh-mee] / ˈfrɛn ə mi /

Sometimes frienemy

noun

1. Informal. a person or group that is friendly toward another because the relationship brings benefits, but harbors feelings of resentment or rivalry.

   Clearly, turning the competition into frenemies is good for your business.

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Etymology

Origin of frenemy

First recorded in 1950-55; fr(iend) + enemy

Explanation

A person who pretends to be your friend in order to steal your ideas, compete with you, or gain some sort of advantage over you is not really your friend at all — they're your frenemy. The word frenemy blends friend and enemy to describe someone who acts like your buddy but is actually a sneaky rival. It’s that confusing friendship where you’re not quite sure if they’re cheering you on or secretly trying to outshine you. For example, think of two classmates who seem friendly but are always trying to one-up each other in school — that's a classic frenemy situation!

Example Sentences

They’re giving it a bit to Jannik Sinner, who just wins, wins, wins, now that frenemy Carlos Alcaraz is injured and on the shelf.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 18, 2026

By contrast, the frequently angry and bitter Saul at least has the kind of shadings that make him a worthy frenemy, and “David” could have mined more conflict from the relationship between the two.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 18, 2025

She was famously the frenemy that fuelled Taylor Swift's diatribe Bad Blood.

From BBC • Oct. 31, 2025

While explaining that the paper used to occupy the whole building, employing over 1000 people, our frenemy Ken remarks, “That’s absolutely insane, if I do say so myself,” saucing each word with condescension.

From Salon • Sep. 4, 2025

He even leapt to the defense of his old frenemy, Vice President Kamala Harris, when DeSantis mispronounced her first name.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 1, 2023