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

The entire lighting system can be neutralized by flipping a single switch, obliterating all visibility except for a spotlight on the enemy’s crotch. —Dahlia Gallin Ramirez, New Yorker, 9 June 2026

Pashinyan campaigned on drawing closer ties to the West, in part through brokering a lasting peace with longtime enemies Azerbaijan and Turkey. —Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 8 June 2026

What starts as a challenge soon turns into a witty, emotional enemies-to-lovers story that forces both writers to rethink their beliefs about love, happiness and happy endings. —Lily Brown, PEOPLE, 8 June 2026

Because the Russian commanders keep attacking anyway, the Ukrainians are killing and wounding thousands of enemy soldiers, perhaps as many as 30,000, every month. —Anne Applebaum, The Atlantic, 7 June 2026

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"