foe

1 of 2

noun

ˈfō 

1

: one who has personal enmity for another

Embrace, embrace, my Sons! be foes no more!

—Alexander Pope

2

a

: an enemy in war

b

: adversary, opponent

a political foe

3

: one who opposes on principle

a foe of needless expenditures

a foe of censorship

4

: something prejudicial or injurious

FOE

2 of 2

abbreviation

Fraternal Order of Eagles

Synonyms

Noun

• adversary
• antagonist
• enemy
• hostile
• opponent

Examples of foe in a Sentence

Noun

Many considered him a foe of democracy.

Her ability was acknowledged by friend and foe alike.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Puffer jackets have been molded into armor; wide-leg trousers are pulled in every direction by unseen foes, and padded accessories are shaped like video game characters or shields. —Violet Goldstone, WWD, 13 Sep. 2024

Being a sponge, the robot can squeeze the water out of itself to douse fiery foes or expand other nearby sponges. —Gieson Cacho, The Mercury News, 13 Sep. 2024

With the launch of part 2 of Emily in Paris’ fourth season, comprising five new episodes, a new foe is introduced. —Lucy Ford, TIME, 12 Sep. 2024

Rebooting the Afro-Asia Cup, a marquee event played twice in the 2000s when cricketers from foes India and Pakistan famously teamed up, remains on the cards. —Tristan Lavalette, Forbes, 10 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English fo, from Old English fāh, from fāh, adjective, hostile; akin to Old High German gifēh hostile

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing foe

• mortal foe/rival

Kids Definition

foe

noun

ˈfō 

1

: one who hates another

2

: an enemy in war