Noun
Many considered him a foe of democracy.
Her ability was acknowledged by friend and foe alike.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Now, on the 150th anniversary of America’s most famous race, the Sport of Kings faces another formidable foe: itself.—Melissa Hoppert, New York Times, 2 May 2024 The prospect of a war with Israel, after a series of tit-for-tat retaliation between the arch foes, has alarmed many ordinary Iranians already facing an array of problems, ranging from economic misery to tightening social and political controls after the nationwide unrest in 2022-23.—Parisa Hafezi, The Christian Science Monitor, 23 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for foe
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
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