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

• 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

Still, fun enemy designs – such as one pictured above based on the Hydnellum peckii (bleeding tooth fungus) – already started to come together. —Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 12 July 2025

Trump appointed Bondi as attorney general after numerous reports suggested the president wanted a loyalist who would do his bidding and seek retribution against his enemies, after Trump faced pushback in his first term from previous attorneys general like William Barr. —Alison Durkee, Forbes.com, 12 July 2025

In 1988, Alan Moore and Brian Bolland rescued him from ’60s TV-show camp status with their flinty, inventive graphic novel The Killing Joke, a Joker origin story that stressed the grim psychological similarities between Batman and his most enduring enemy. —Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 11 July 2025

The movie saw Reeve sharing the big screen with Marlon Brando (playing his father) and Gene Hackman (playing enemy Lex Luthor), as well as Margot Kidder as Lois Lane. —Zoey Lyttle, People.com, 11 July 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"