enemy

noun en·e·my \ ˈe-nə-mē \

Definition of enemy

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

See enemy defined for English-language learners

See enemy defined for kids

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 of enemy from the Web

The days when kings, tribes, or clans would strike an enemy for the slightest threat have been replaced by a rise in organized governments granted a monopoly over the use of violence.

— The Christian Science Monitor, "Heading off preemptive violence," 30 Aug. 2017
If a foreign enemy attacks the U.S. or one of its allies first, or is preparing to do so imminently, the president can order an immediate retaliatory response.

— garrett epps, The Atlantic, "Trump Doesn't Have the Authority to Attack North Korea Without Congress," 30 Aug. 2017
Throne of Glass Hulu is developing an adaptation of Sarah J. Maas's six-novel YA series about an assassin seeking her freedom and battling a series of enemies in a treacherous kingdom.

— sarah begley, Time, "6 Fantasy Series That Could Become the Next Game of Thrones," 29 Aug. 2017
Unlike Hamilton, Jefferson saw tariffs as enemies to the constituents of a free democracy, limiting the worker’s ability to benefit fully from his labor.

— carrie hagen, Smithsonian, "The First Presidential Pardon Pitted Alexander Hamilton Against George Washington," 29 Aug. 2017
The song — which seems to be about her feud with power couple Kanye West and Kim Kardashian-West — talks about how an enemy of hers pushed her a little too close to the edge, making her stronger, but leaving her with a chip on her shoulder.

— autumn miller, Seventeen, "Taylor Swift Has Become the Mean Girl She Used to Sing About," 25 Aug. 2017
That's more of a reputation Cranley's local political enemies have slapped on him, and he is well regarded by statewide Democratic leaders.

— jason williams, Cincinnati.com, "PX: John Cranley takes sides in Ohio governor's race," 17 Aug. 2017
Aside from being accomplished and prolific, both are refreshingly blunt, can wither enemies with a single line reading, and are chemically incapable of suffering fools.

— julie miller, Vanities, "Did You Know Maggie Smith and Samuel L. Jackson Are Friends?," 11 Aug. 2017
The point of the excursion was for Jon to prove that their ancestors put aside personal grievances to fight a common enemy: The White Walkers.

— mehera bonner, Marie Claire, "There's a Secret Meaning Behind Those Cave Drawings on 'Game of Thrones'," 7 Aug. 2017

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.

Origin and Etymology of enemy

Middle English enemi, from Anglo-French, from Latin inimicus, from in- ¹in- + amicus friend — more at amiable

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First Known Use: 13th century

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enemy Synonyms

Synonyms

adversary, antagonist, foe, hostile, opponent

Antonyms

amigo, friend

Related Words

archenemy, archfoe, nemesis; ill-wisher; bane, bête noire; assailant, attacker, combatant, invader; competitor, emulator, rival

Near Antonyms

buddy, chum, compadre, crony, fellow, hail-fellow, hail-fellow-well-met, hearty, hobnobber, mate, musketeer, pal; abettor (also abetter), accomplice, ally, collaborator, colleague, comrade, confederate, friendly, partner; adherent, disciple, follower; backer, benefactor, exponent, supporter, sympathizer, well-wisher

Other Military Terms

bivouac, logistics, petard, salient, sally, supernumerary, tactical

ENEMY Defined for English Language Learners

enemy

noun

Definition of enemy for English Language Learners

: someone who hates another : someone who attacks or tries to harm another
: something that harms or threatens someone or something
: a group of people (such as a nation) against whom another group is fighting a war