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

a foe to health

FOE

2 of 2

abbreviation

Fraternal Order of Eagles

Synonyms of foe

Noun

• enemy
• 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

Bovo, who resigned his post last year to join a lobbying firm, was a political foe of Hialeah’s current mayor, Bryan Calvo. — Douglas Hanks, Miami Herald, 10 July 2026

Georgia’s 2028 football schedule has an opening after the Bulldogs and FCS foe Florida A&M canceled a game planned for Sanford Stadium. — Mike Griffith, AJC.com, 10 July 2026

The millions of mourners at the funeral of the Iranian leader Ayatollah ‌Ali Khamenei, who was killed on the first day of the war, may have put pressure on the regime to show resolve against the nation’s long-standing foes. — Vivian Salama, The Atlantic, 8 July 2026

One of the most high-profile and controversial figures in British politics, Farage has had an outsized effect as a champion of leaving the European Union and foe of large-scale immigration. — Jill Lawless, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026

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

Rhymes for foe

• beau
• beaut
• beaux
• blow
• bro
• coe
• crow
• doe
• doh
• dough
• eau
• eaux

Kids Definition

foe

noun

ˈfō 

1

: one who hates another

2

: an enemy in war