enemy

noun

en·​e·​my ˈe-nə-mē 

plural enemies

1

: one that is antagonistic to another

especially : one seeking to injure, overthrow, or confound an opponent

2

: something harmful or deadly

alcohol was his greatest enemy

3

a

: a military adversary

b

: a hostile unit or force

Synonyms of enemy

• opponent
• foe
• hostile

Examples of enemy in a Sentence

He made a lot of enemies during the course of his career.

Tradition is the enemy of progress.

Recent Examples on the Web

A lot of shonen protagonists have the grace to try and rescue their enemies, but My Hero Academia’s Deku stands out by also totally relinquishing his power, his most heroic act of all. —Kambole Campbell, Vulture, 9 Dec. 2025

It was used, for example, in the form of banners to honor the gods, to commemorate success in battle, to threaten an enemy, and to sing the praises of a king. —Literary Hub, 8 Dec. 2025

As Loktev’s documentary unfolds, her protagonists become branded in effect as enemies of the state, with dramatic consequences. —Matthew Carey, Deadline, 8 Dec. 2025

Possibly, weather balloons were mistaken for enemy aircraft amid a tense time where people believed an attack was imminent. —Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 7 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English enmy, enemi, borrowed from Anglo-French enemi, going back to Latin inimīcus, noun derivative of inimīcus, adjective, "of an opponent, unfriendly, hostile," from in- in- entry 1 + amīcus "friendly, well-disposed, loving" — more at amiable

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing enemy

• behind enemy lines
• enemy territory
• mortal enemy
• public enemy number one

Kids Definition

enemy

noun

en·​e·​my ˈen-ə-mē 

plural enemies

1

: one that tries to hurt or overthrow or that seeks the failure of another

2

: something that harms

3

a

: a nation with which a country is at war

b

: a military force or a person belonging to such a nation

Etymology

Middle English enemi "enemy," from early French enemi (same meaning), from Latin inimicus (same meaning), from in- "not" and amicus "friend"