Noun
Many considered him a foe of democracy.
Her ability was acknowledged by friend and foe alike.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
With an impressive record and equally impressive roster, the Celtics will be a formidable foe for the Mavericks, who have been the most impressive team during the postseason considering their competition.—Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31 May 2024 With environmentalists pushing oil giants to phase out fossil fuels, the company was keen to present itself as a climate friend, not foe—deeply concerned about global warming, but intent on producing oil for generations to come.—Vivienne Walt, Fortune, 23 May 2024 OpenAI founder Sam Altman suddenly faces a more formidable foe than any members of his company's board of directors: Hollywood star Scarlett Johansson.—Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 21 May 2024 Fighting a foe with a shield and spear is much different than dodging an enemy who spits fire.—PCMAG, 21 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for foe
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'foe.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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
Time Traveler
The first known use of foe was
before the 12th century
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