foe

noun

ˈfō How to pronounce foe (audio)
Definition of foenext
1
as in enemy
one that is hostile toward another are you friend or foe?

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in opponent
one that takes a position opposite another in a competition or conflict this Saturday our team will go up against our longtime foes in a game that will determine the champion of the conference

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of foe After Friday’s delay in the Paramount-WBD antitrust lawsuit, shares of both media companies slid in after-hours trading, foes of the merger exulted and observers tried to process the latest twist in the merger saga. — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 24 July 2026 From new faces, such as Florida’s Jon Sumrall and Arkansas’ Ryan Silverfield, to old foes, such as Texas’ Steve Sarkisian and South Carolina’s Shane Beamer, SEC coaches sounded off on the Bulldogs. — Connor Riley, AJC.com, 24 July 2026 Particularly in the context of broader geopolitical tensions, governments cannot simply assume that other countries, friend or foe, will act in their best interests. — Pooja Yerramilli, STAT, 24 July 2026 The match is not with foe alone, The truest pitch is self unknown. — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 23 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for foe
Recent Examples of Synonyms for foe
  1. enemy
  2. opponent
  3. rival
Noun
  • Scotland changed its anthem to ‘Flower Of Scotland’ — a folk song written in the 1960s, and whose lyrics take occasional aim at its neighbour and old enemy to the south — across their sports teams in the 1990s.
    — George Edwards, New York Times, 31 July 2026
  • The game is also not easy; there’s a lot of bullet hell here, and many rooms are tight and filled with hazards and enemies.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 31 July 2026
Definition of enemy
Noun
  • Some opponents of the merger have argued that the deal will effectively consolidate all of March Madness under one corporate umbrella and ultimately harm competition for college sports rights.
    — Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Their assertions come on the heels of Class 6A Thomas County Central’s historic season in which the Yellow Jackets averaged nearly 54 points per game and beat every opponent by 14 or more on the way to a 15-0 season.
    — Jack Leo, AJC.com, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of opponent
Noun
  • In February, Baresi was one of the torchbearers for the Olympic flame at the opening ceremony for the Milan Cortina Winter Games, appearing alongside former Inter Milan and Italy defender Giuseppe Bergomi, his longtime rival on the pitch.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 31 July 2026
  • Elizabeth chooses Bobby as her rival; the mustang is left as their muse.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 31 July 2026
Definition of rival

Browse Nearby Words

fodder
foe
foes
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Foe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/foe. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on foe

Nglish: Translation of foe for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

How long is a jiffy?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All