foe

1 of 2

noun

1
: one who has personal enmity for another
Embrace, embrace, my Sons! be foes no more!Alexander Pope
2
a
: an enemy in war
b
: adversary, opponent
a political foe
3
: one who opposes on principle
a foe of needless expenditures
a foe of censorship
4
: something prejudicial or injurious

FOE

2 of 2

abbreviation

Fraternal Order of Eagles

Examples of foe in a Sentence

Noun Many considered him a foe of democracy. Her ability was acknowledged by friend and foe alike.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Wednesday returns to the Gothic halls of Nevermore Academy, where fresh foes and woes await. Devonne Goode, Parents, 7 Aug. 2025 But Birmingham are expected to be one of the clubs in contention for a play-offs spot, perhaps alongside former League One foes Wrexham. Dan Cancian, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2025 That's pretty vague, but a season 2 teaser highlights several of the aforementioned foes and woes, from a host of haunted dolls and a swarm of bees to a flaming, winged creature and the gnarly sight of Tyler (Hunter Doohan) in his Hyde form. EW.com, 6 Aug. 2025 Observation and knowledge teach me to distinguish my friends and their larvae from my foes. Rita Perwich, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for foe

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English fo, from Old English fāh, from fāh, adjective, hostile; akin to Old High German gifēh hostile

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of foe was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Foe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/foe. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.

Kids Definition

foe

noun
1
: one who hates another
2
: an enemy in war

More from Merriam-Webster on foe

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