a person who feels enmity, hatred, or malice toward another; enemy.
a bitter foe.
a military enemy; hostile army.
a person belonging to a hostile army or nation.
an opponent in a game or contest; adversary.
a political foe.
a person who is opposed in feeling, principle, etc., to something.
a foe to progress in civil rights.
a thing that is harmful to or destructive of something.
Sloth is the foe of health.
See enemy.
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
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.
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Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Through Starlink, SpaceX is set to be either friend or foe to much of the telecommunications industry.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 29, 2026
That supports the UK's armed forces which remain highly regarded by friend and foe alike.
From BBC • Jun. 12, 2026
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi took aim at similar criticism from Lebanese President Joseph Aoun early Saturday, calling on him to save Lebanon from its "real foe."
From Barron's • Jun. 6, 2026
In her mind, however, this foe isn’t worth fighting.
From Salon • May 29, 2026
I ran up desperately, lugging foe box of thirty erasers, twenty-three of which had sent their chalk dust toward Mrs. Baker’s windows.
From "The Wednesday Wars" by Gary D. Schmidt
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.
