enemy

American  

[en-uh-mee] / ˈɛn ə mi /

noun

enemies plural

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.

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adjective

1. belonging to a hostile power or to any of its nationals.

   enemy property.

2. Obsolete. inimical; ill-disposed.

enemy British  

/ 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

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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

Derived Forms

• nonenemy
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• enemies
  plural

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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

enemy enemies

He described it as an "asset to face the enemy".

From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026

There is an old military axiom: The enemy gets a vote too.

From Salon ● Jul. 14, 2026

You may not want to engage in protracted conflicts, but if your enemy seeks your destruction, you should plan and act accordingly.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 12, 2026

The announcement comes after North Korea has repeatedly spurned South Korean President Lee Jae Myung's dovish overtures, labelling Seoul its "most hostile" enemy and declaring itself an "irreversible" nuclear state.

From Barron's ● Jul. 10, 2026

“He finally met the enemy, face-to-face,” said Vinny.

From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis

Whether it’s vanquishing assailants or surreptitiously surveilling enemies, daemons provide significant advantages for their masters.

From Salon ● Jul. 18, 2026

While Aang’s saga follows the trajectory of Western fantasies that revolve around a Chosen One, his stubborn insistence on nonviolence and befriending perceived enemies reflects Miyazaki’s reverence for empathy, innocence and life’s natural beauty.

From Salon ● Jul. 8, 2026

“There is no equilibrium—the enemies continue to manifest.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 5, 2026

The star has previously said that "for a really long time" she had perceived Christopher as one of her "biggest enemies" - but they reconciled before his death.

From BBC ● Jun. 26, 2026

“Mama and Papa let him stay with the tsarevna because the tsar specifically asked for him, and they don’t want to make enemies in the castle.”

From Anya and the Nightingale by Sofiya Pasternack

Related Words

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