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
Noun
Uber announced a partnership Friday that would make D.C. cab rides more widely available on its app as the company expands a collaboration with its onetime foe. Luz Lazo, Washington Post, 17 Nov. 2023 This has been a pattern under Staley, the Chargers playing well against lesser foes but crumbling against opponents with more firepower. Jeff Miller, Los Angeles Times, 16 Nov. 2023 But even large debris, like dry cereal, is no foe to this vacuum, as its 600-watt motor works quickly and effectively. Alyssa Brascia, Peoplemag, 14 Nov. 2023 Well, the quickest way to get back in the ring is to start naming foes and picking fights. Jason Linkins, The New Republic, 4 Nov. 2023 The story, loosely based on real-life events, follows a group of WWII soldiers stranded in the ocean after their warship is downed by Japanese fighter jets and find themselves up against that classic underwater foe, a great white. Alex Ritman, The Hollywood Reporter, 2 Nov. 2023 While not the party's top choice for the gavel, the deeply religious and even-keeled Johnson has few foes and an important GOP backer: Donald Trump. Compiled By Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, Arkansas Online, 26 Oct. 2023 Travis Howe channeled his hockey forefathers 3 minutes into the game, taking on his Ontario foe in a bruising brawl. San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Oct. 2023 The group work to find their way home but are introduced to a mysterious new foe, Kang the Conqueror (Jonathan Majors). Jacqueline Weiss, Peoplemag, 10 Nov. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'foe.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Dictionary Entries Near foe

Cite this Entry

“Foe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/foe. Accessed 4 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

foe

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

More from Merriam-Webster on foe

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