foe

¹ American  

[foh] / foʊ /

noun

1. a person who feels enmity, hatred, or malice toward another; enemy.

   a bitter foe.

   Synonyms:

   antagonist, opponent

   Antonyms:

   friend

2. a military enemy; hostile army.

   Antonyms:

   friend

3. a person belonging to a hostile army or nation.

   Synonyms:

   antagonist, opponent

   Antonyms:

   friend

4. an opponent in a game or contest; adversary.

   a political foe.

   Synonyms:

   antagonist, opponent

5. a person who is opposed in feeling, principle, etc., to something.

   a foe to progress in civil rights.

   Synonyms:

   antagonist, opponent

6. a thing that is harmful to or destructive of something.

   Sloth is the foe of health.

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F.O.E. ² American  

abbreviation

1. Fraternal Order of Eagles.

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FoE ¹ British  

abbreviation

1. Friends of the Earth

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foe ² British  

/ fəʊ /

noun

1. formal another word for enemy

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Related Words

See enemy.

Etymology

Origin of foe

First recorded before 900; Middle English foo, Old English fāh “hostile,” gefāh “enemy”; cognate with Old High German gifēh “at war”; feud ¹

Example Sentences

But sadness is a powerful foe, maybe harder to keep down than happiness, and it was a struggle.

From Literature

The Justice Department’s release of its Jeffrey Epstein files has given some powerful people fresh fodder to embarrass their foes.

From The Wall Street Journal

He considers her a formidable foe who was the first to prove “that the DSA can win in Los Angeles” and who brings several advantages to a campaign against Bass.

From Los Angeles Times

But neither foe had a great quarterback pressure defense while the Patriots ranked fifth in the league in that category.

From Los Angeles Times

The question she sent Jeremy seemed to translate as "Friend or foe?"

From Literature

Related Words

• adversary
• antagonist
• enemy
• rival