enemy

noun

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

adversary, antagonist, foe, hostile, opponent

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

Release: October 4, 2019 Preliminary verdict: Looks promising With a bit of Looper tossed in, Gemini Man follows Henry Brogen (Will Smith) as an aging assassin who must survive an encounter with his most deadly enemy—himself. — Darren Orf, Popular Mechanics, "The 2019 Sci-Fi Film Guide," 3 Jan. 2019 Photo by Adrian Smith The nests of Florida ants called Formica archboldi are adorned with the carcasses of their enemies — namely, the heads of other species known as trap-jaw ants. — Rachel Becker, The Verge, "High-speed video solves how Florida ants furnish their nests with their enemies’ bodies," 18 Nov. 2018 In general, fresher cheeses contain more lactose than aged cheeses, which means cheeses like feta and ricotta, my old favorites, are higher in lactose, and now my enemy. — Christian Allaire, Vogue, "I Gave Up Dairy—And My Adult Acne Vanished in Under a Month," 28 July 2018 In story mode, Mario encounters many of his familiar enemies, but fire-breathing plants and Bowser’s turtle-like minions aren’t trying to steal one of Mario’s endless lives. — Todd Martens, latimes.com, "'Mario Tennis Aces' and the love of low-stakes competition," 12 July 2018 The track starts off quietly enough, with players racing through checkpoints and past enemy NPCs who seem as oblivious to the action as armadillos on Texas roads. — Leif Johnson, PCWorld, "Check out this exclusive look at Guild Wars 2's jaw-dropping Infernal Leap roller beetle track," 26 Nov. 2018 The obviousness of the report’s considered and sober point of view only underlines how transit tech startups, in their rush to secure market share and increase valuations, may be rushing to scale, but, in the process, become their own worst enemies. — Patrick Sisson, Curbed, "How cities should regulate the scooter surge," 11 July 2018 After that season, one of the BCS’s most powerful allies became its most powerful enemy—working to blow it up from the inside. — Andy Staples, SI.com, "The Chaos and Consequences of the BCS, 20 Years After Its Inaugural Season," 9 July 2018 How can the heroes of my cause, a free and democratic Cuba, turn into my bitter enemies because of Donald Trump? — Fabiola Santiago, miamiherald, "The real fireworks this 4th of July? National anxiety. What’s happening to our country?," 4 July 2018

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.