enemy

[en-uh-mee]

noun

plural

enemies 

1. 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

2. an armed foe; an opposing military force.

   The army attacked the enemy at dawn.

   Antonyms: ally

3. a hostile nation or state.

4. a citizen of such a state.

5. enemies, persons, nations, etc., that are hostile to one another.

   Let's make up and stop being enemies.

6. something harmful or prejudicial.

   His unbridled ambition is his worst enemy.

7. 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.

enemy

/ ˈɛnəmɪ /

noun

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

2. 1. an armed adversary; opposing military force

   2. ( as modifier )

      enemy aircraft

3. 1. a hostile nation or people

   2. ( as modifier )

      an enemy alien

4. something that harms or opposes; adversary

   courage is the enemy of failure

Grammar Note

See collective noun.

Other Word Forms

• nonenemy noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of enemy¹

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”; amicable

Word History and Origins

Origin of enemy¹

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

Synonym Study

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 ).

Example Sentences

The court heard Khan gave a false name because he had "enemies he did not want to find him".

Read more on BBC

But the two men are also very similar in their desire to ruthlessly silence their enemies.

Read more on Salon

"I don't know how we shut this down. It is way too big now, like an enemy state."

Read more on Barron's

Defending Europe against drones involves several steps: detecting and identifying the unmanned vehicles, deciding whether to neutralize them, and exerting pressure away from the skies to deter enemies from launching them.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

It was the enemy of every Arab government in the Middle East.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• adversary 
• agent 
• antagonist 
• attacker www.thesaurus.com
• bandit 
• competitor 
• criminal 
• detractor 
• foe 
• guerrilla 
• invader www.thesaurus.com
• murderer 
• opponent 
• opposition 
• prosecutor 
• rebel 
• rival 
• spy 
• terrorist 
• traitor