We have met the enemy, and they are us
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This is a twist on Oliver Hazard Perry's words after a naval battle: “We have met the enemy, and they are ours.” The updated version was first used in the comic strip “Pogo,” by Walt Kelly, in the 1960s and referred to the turmoil caused by the Vietnam War.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“We have met the enemy, and they are us,” said Dr. Robert Levin, the health officer in Ventura County.
From Los Angeles Times
“We have met the enemy, and they are us,” said Dr. Robert Levin, the health officer in Ventura County, where hospitalizations are up.
From Los Angeles Times
“We have met the enemy, and they are us,” he said.
From Los Angeles Times
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.
