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• foe
  foe

  noun

  a person who feels enmity, hatred, or malice toward another; enemy.
• F.O.E.
  F.O.E.

  abbreviation

  Fraternal Order of Eagles.
• FoE
  FoE

  abbreviation

  Friends of the Earth

foe

¹ American  

[foh] / foʊ /

noun

• foes
  plural

1. a person who feels enmity, hatred, or malice toward another; enemy.

   a bitter foe.

   Synonyms:

   antagonist, opponent

   Antonyms:

   friend

2. a military enemy; hostile army.

   Antonyms:

   friend

3. a person belonging to a hostile army or nation.

   Synonyms:

   antagonist, opponent

   Antonyms:

   friend

4. an opponent in a game or contest; adversary.

   a political foe.

   Synonyms:

   antagonist, opponent

5. a person who is opposed in feeling, principle, etc., to something.

   a foe to progress in civil rights.

   Synonyms:

   antagonist, opponent

6. a thing that is harmful to or destructive of something.

   Sloth is the foe of health.

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F.O.E. ² American  

abbreviation

1. Fraternal Order of Eagles.

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FoE ¹ British  

abbreviation

1. Friends of the Earth

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foe ² British  

/ fəʊ /

noun

1. formal another word for enemy

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Synonym Usage

See enemy.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• foes
  plural

Etymology

Origin of foe

First recorded before 900; Middle English foo, Old English fāh “hostile,” gefāh “enemy”; cognate with Old High German gifēh “at war”; see origin at feud ¹

Explanation

A foe is an enemy. Foes can range from an adversary of one person to that of a nation, from “he is my foe” to “they are my foe.” There is also a “that is my foe” who those who are trying to diet know well, aka chocolate. A cousin of the word feud (though they don’t get a long of course) foe may refer to a military opponent or a personal nemesis or rival — Lex Luthor is Superman’s foe. Historically, foes often come in pairs — such as the North and the South in the Civil War. The word foe is sometimes used for an opposing concept or a thing — if you are on a diet, chocolate may be your foe.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

foe F.O.E. FoE foes

Moscow has been warned off, by friend and foe alike, not to break the 81-year long taboo on using nuclear weapons in anger.

From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2026

It is far too soon to say what ways the fabulous new Bowl sound system, which happens to be AI endowed, might become friend and/or foe.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 16, 2026

Through Starlink, SpaceX is set to be either friend or foe to much of the telecommunications industry.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 29, 2026

In Jefferson’s mind Henry was a lazy lightweight, Hamilton a monarchist and a coward, Burr an insurrectionist and Marshall an implacable foe.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 26, 2026

Leslie whirled and began to duel the imaginary foe.

From "Bridge to Terabithia" by Katherine Paterson

While Wall greeted and posed with children for three hours at his morning event, about three miles away in another Southeast location, Wizards power forward Markieff Morris and his F.O.E.

From Washington Post ● Aug. 4, 2018

Marcus wore one gold and one silver chain representing the brothers’ motto, F.O.E.

From Washington Post ● Apr. 16, 2017

FoE Scotland estimates that 2,500 people die prematurely each year because of air pollution which has been linked to respiratory conditions such as asthma.

From BBC ● Jan. 21, 2018

Again, by that FoE and tin standard this does seem to be what is being campaigned for.

From Forbes ● Nov. 8, 2013

If we go by the standards FoE are demanding of tin supplies then perhaps that is what is being demanded.

From Forbes ● Nov. 8, 2013

FoE Cymru says the falling cost of wind and solar energy would soon leave the business case for the barrage "dead in the water".

From BBC ● Jan. 10, 2013

"It is a wholly inadequate response to the greatest environmental crisis of our time," said FoE president Brent Blackwelder.

From Time Magazine Archive

The snapshot wasn’t a perfect representation of how locals feel about the project—the development has older fans and younger foes.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026

Motoki portrays Murashige as curiously recessive — someone who has laid waste to myriad foes and has now lost his taste for bloodshed.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 30, 2026

This referred to the preliminary deal aimed at ending the war which has collapsed as the foes fight to break a deadlock over the Strait of Hormuz.

From Barron's ● Jul. 24, 2026

Holy Trinity Tattoo Studio in Standish managed to squeeze Sean in before England took on Norway in the quarter final, teeing up Wednesday night's mouth-watering semi against old foes Argentina.

From BBC ● Jul. 15, 2026

For each NPC my avatar defeated, I would earn a few meager experience points and, usually, a handful of copper or silver coins dropped by my slain foes.

From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline

Related Words

• adversary
• antagonist
• enemy
• rival