SINCE 1828
frenemy
noun
fren·e·my
| \ ˈfre-nə-mē
\
\
plural frenemies
Definition of frenemy
: one who pretends to be a friend but is actually an enemy
Examples of frenemy in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Her sister-in-law and frenemy in court, Grand Duchess Pavlovna, aka Miechen, epitomizes the aristocracy and provides the perfect foil for Maria – until her son Nicholas, a weak and eventually ineffective tsar, weds the German princess Alix of Hesse. — Mary Cadden, USA TODAY, "Empress Maria heads juicy Russian cast in historical novel about the Romanovs," 12 July 2018 Bosom Buddies,’’ the duet in which Vera and Mame trade sly digs, frenemy-style. — Don Aucoin, BostonGlobe.com, "A ‘Mame’ that’s a bit short on magic," 7 June 2018 This Sabrina loves horror movies, must choose between a mortal education at Baxter High or a magical immersion at the Academy of Unseen Arts, and slits a frenemy's throat. — Ella Cerón, Teen Vogue, "Chilling Adventures of Sabrina Broke Kiernan Shipka's Heart — and She's OK With That," 12 Nov. 2018 In Chapter 1, Kate Reddy is awakened at 2 a.m. by daughter Emily, who Snapchatted to a frenemy a photo of the tan line on her pert young butt, which quickly goes viral. — Jocelyn Mcclurg, USA TODAY, "Weekend picks for book lovers, including 'How Hard Can It Be?' by Allison Pearson," 9 June 2018 Irving surprises with a wicked sense of humor and zen soulfulness as aging playground legend Uncle Drew, and Shaquille O'Neal is hilarious as his frenemy, kung fu master Big Fella. — Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, "Your ultimate Fourth of July movie guide: A suggestion for every holiday scenario," 29 June 2018 But seeing his longtime frenemy so content in his stable relationship stirred up plenty of emotions for Ronnie, who found himself reflecting on his rocky relationship with Jen — and the larger picture of his troubled love life. — Aurelie Corinthios, PEOPLE.com, "Jersey Shore's Ronnie Breaks Down Over Failed Relationships: 'I Have to Re-Evaluate My Life'," 14 June 2018 Unlike a number of his peers, including one frenemy who shall remain nameless, Jay-Z has never been quick to call himself a fashion designer. — Brooke Bobb, Vogue, "First Rihanna, Now Jay-Z: What Will the Rapper Bring to Puma?," 19 June 2018 This week, half a dozen Senate Republicans, led by Trump frenemy Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), are pushing legislation that would give Congress the power to stop Trump's tariffs. — Amber Phillips, Washington Post, "Republicans broke with Trump a lot more than usual this week," 8 June 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'frenemy.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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