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.

---

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

---

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

noun

• 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

“These investments offer somewhat predictable and consistent returns which are important to augment limited retirement income. Inflation is still the enemy, and its impact should be carefully weighed each time new investments are contemplated.”

From MarketWatch • Jun. 2, 2026

But the new enemy of technology in Toy Story 5 is an altogether different beast.

From BBC • Jun. 1, 2026

"We are on a war footing and all our armed forces are fully ready, with all their resources and equipment, to confront any enemy," he said.

From Barron's • May 24, 2026

Despite his honorable intentions, Mr. Dasgupta risks making the best the enemy of the good, and the impossible the foe of the plausible.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026

Each man was weighed down with sixty pounds of equipment, including picks, shovels, and sandbags judged necessary to fortify enemy positions that, according to Haig’s plan, had already been conquered for them by the artillery.

From "The War to End All Wars: World War I" by Russell Freedman

Related Words

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