enemy

noun

Save Word

en·e·my | \ ˈe-nə-mē

plural enemies

Definition of enemy

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

3a : a military adversary

b : a hostile unit or force

Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about enemy

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Synonyms & Antonyms for enemy

Synonyms

Antonyms

amigo,
friend

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 This results in mediocre outcomes, and mediocrity is the enemy of innovation. — Paul Prior, Forbes, "The Five Biases That Stop Innovation Before It Starts," 9 Apr. 2021 In other words: Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good. — BostonGlobe.com, "10 ways to make your days easier starting now," 2 Apr. 2021 Slide right onto your pillow knowing that morning frizz is no longer the enemy. — Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, "The Best Silk Pillowcases of 2021 for Fighting Frizz and Fine Lines While You Snooze," 24 Mar. 2021 Yet all too often primary voters fail to understand that the quest for partisan perfection can be the enemy of the political good. — David French, Time, "Keep the Filibuster, There Are Better Ways to Reform a Broken System," 23 Mar. 2021 The sentiment that perfect can be the enemy of good extends to organizing. — Washington Post, "Spring cleaning: How to clear the cobwebs without adding to your pandemic stress," 23 Mar. 2021 Your body needs calories to function, and so calories are not the enemy. — Stefani Sassos, Ms, Rdn, Cso, Good Housekeeping, "As a Registered Dietitian, I Can Tell You That There Absolutely Are No "Bad" Foods," 13 Mar. 2021 The Democratic Governor is right that complexity is the enemy of speed. — The Editorial Board, WSJ, "Connecticut’s Covid Vaccine Lesson," 23 Feb. 2021 In the show, Rosalind clearly sets up witches to be the enemy, something that mirrors a plot point of the original Winx cartoon, which included a trio of evil witches called the Trix. — Olivia Truffaut-wong, refinery29.com, "Fate: The Winx Saga Season 1 Dropped A Few Clues About Rosalind’s Ultimate Plan," 1 Feb. 2021

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'enemy.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.