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• foe
  foe

  noun

  a person who feels enmity, hatred, or malice toward another; enemy.
• F.O.E.
  F.O.E.

  abbreviation

  Fraternal Order of Eagles.
• FoE
  FoE

  abbreviation

  Friends of the Earth

foe

¹ American  

[foh] / foʊ /

noun

• foes
  plural

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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Synonym Usage

See enemy.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• foes
  plural

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”; see origin at feud ¹

Explanation

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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

foe F.O.E. FoE foes

The automatons he has created seem to lack the necessary ability to distinguish between friend and foe.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 3, 2026

Moscow has been warned off, by friend and foe alike, not to break the 81-year long taboo on using nuclear weapons in anger.

From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2026

Footage of Cunningham coolly staring down and pointing mockingly at one such foe for 22 unflinching seconds following a scuffle last month went viral, launching countless memes.

From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026

It is far too soon to say what ways the fabulous new Bowl sound system, which happens to be AI endowed, might become friend and/or foe.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 16, 2026

‘Fly! This is a foe beyond any of you. I must hold the narrow way. Fly!’

From "The Fellowship of the Ring" by J.R.R. Tolkien

While Wall greeted and posed with children for three hours at his morning event, about three miles away in another Southeast location, Wizards power forward Markieff Morris and his F.O.E.

From Washington Post ● Aug. 4, 2018

Marcus wore one gold and one silver chain representing the brothers’ motto, F.O.E.

From Washington Post ● Apr. 16, 2017

FoE said the billions traditionally earmarked for new road projects should instead be invested in public transport, walking and cycling.

From BBC ● Jan. 18, 2020

FoE Scotland estimates that 2,500 people die prematurely each year because of air pollution which has been linked to respiratory conditions such as asthma.

From BBC ● Jan. 21, 2018

If we go by the standards FoE are demanding of tin supplies then perhaps that is what is being demanded.

From Forbes ● Nov. 8, 2013

Again, by that FoE and tin standard this does seem to be what is being campaigned for.

From Forbes ● Nov. 8, 2013

"It is a wholly inadequate response to the greatest environmental crisis of our time," said FoE president Brent Blackwelder.

From Time Magazine Archive

“So it’s important for people to see that robots are not foes, but friends.”

From Slate ● Sep. 27, 2026

Thankfully, there are often other cues as to the whereabouts of your fleshy foes, such as flickering lights and their awful, gurgling cries.

From BBC ● Sep. 25, 2026

Two implacable U.S. foes have locked into an unlikely marriage of convenience.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 1, 2026

As diplomacy stalls between the decades-long foes, attacks in the Hormuz strait have continued, highlighting the continued risks to regional shipping.

From Barron's ● Aug. 15, 2026

As a raven he flew with the murder, circling the hill at sunset, watching for ' foes, feeling the icy touch of the air.

From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin

Related Words

• adversary
• antagonist
• enemy
• rival