enemy
Americannoun
-
a person who feels hatred for, fosters harmful designs against, or engages in antagonistic activities against another; an adversary or opponent.
- Synonyms:
- antagonist
- Antonyms:
- friend
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an armed foe; an opposing military force.
The army attacked the enemy at dawn.
- Antonyms:
- ally
-
a hostile nation or state.
-
a citizen of such a state.
-
enemies, persons, nations, etc., that are hostile to one another.
Let's make up and stop being enemies.
-
something harmful or prejudicial.
His unbridled ambition is his worst enemy.
-
the Enemy, the Devil; Satan.
adjective
-
belonging to a hostile power or to any of its nationals.
enemy property.
-
Obsolete. inimical; ill-disposed.
noun
-
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
-
-
something that harms or opposes; adversary
courage is the enemy of failure
Grammar
See collective noun.
Synonym Usage
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 ).
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of enemy
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
Explanation
An enemy is a hostile opponent, like your sworn Scrabble enemy who vows to get revenge on your last triple word score. An enemy is a person who actively opposes someone or something. The Latin word inimicus, meaning "hostile, unfriendly," is the root of enemy, and it comes from the prefix in-, or "not," and amicus, "friend:" an enemy is "not a friend." When two armies fight each other, they both think of the opposing army as the enemy.
Vocabulary lists containing enemy
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"In Response to Executive Order 9066"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Adam did his best to make it right, but Brian has been his own worst enemy during this entire affair.
From MarketWatch • May 28, 2026
But we should be able to debate the best way to defend ourselves from it without being accused of campaigning for the enemy.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 25, 2026
The Independent says Drake "continues to be his own worst enemy", with some of his best work "obscured by the bad".
From BBC • May 22, 2026
“Should the enemy attack,” it reads, “our Revolution will defend itself until victory is achieved and the aggressor is expelled.”
From Los Angeles Times • May 22, 2026
And with his enemy staring down at him from atop the jungle gym.
From "Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody" by Patrick Ness
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
