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

Achieving air supremacy would also be harder against a more sophisticated foe like China, they add.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 5, 2026

But it may well be his one time political ally and occasional political foe becomes his nemesis.

From BBC • Feb. 2, 2026

"What's so exciting is that our treatment converts these cells from protecting the cancer to killing it. We've turned foe into ally."

From Science Daily • Jan. 30, 2026

The accident occurred weeks after Joshua stopped YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in Miami to stay on course to face old foe Tyson Fury this year.

From Barron's • Jan. 29, 2026

She then folded herself up into that loaf shape peculiar to cats and regarded her vanquished foe with enormous feline satisfaction, her duty done.

From "The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate" by Jacqueline Kelly

Related Words

• adversary
• antagonist
• enemy
• rival