foe

1 of 2

noun

Synonyms of foenext
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

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
In the horror sequel, Josh Hutcherson and Elizabeth Lail return to face new foes as well the old murderous animatronic animals of Freddy Fazbear's Pizza. Brian Truitt, USA Today, 10 Apr. 2026 Tillman has taken the time to chronicle his own journey from a traditional Republican to a mouthpiece for an administration that aspires to lock up its foes, shut down independent media, and beat peaceful protesters. Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2026 Ashton DeMederios fired a complete game, allowing one run on just four hits while striking out 10, as Greater New Bedford (1-2) won a pitcher’s duel with South Coast Conference foe Somerset Berkley, 2-1. Tyler McManus, Boston Herald, 9 Apr. 2026 Since then, the mayor has continued to publicly doubt his council foes’ revenue projections. Alice Yin, Chicago Tribune, 9 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for foe

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Foe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/foe. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

foe

noun
1
: one who hates another
2
: an enemy in war

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