foe

¹

[foh]

noun

1. a person who feels enmity, hatred, or malice toward another; enemy.

   a bitter foe.

   Synonyms: antagonist, opponent
   Antonyms: friend

2. a military enemy; hostile army.

   Antonyms: friend

3. a person belonging to a hostile army or nation.

   Synonyms: antagonist, opponent
   Antonyms: friend

4. an opponent in a game or contest; adversary.

   a political foe.

   Synonyms: antagonist, opponent

5. a person who is opposed in feeling, principle, etc., to something.

   a foe to progress in civil rights.

   Synonyms: antagonist, opponent

6. a thing that is harmful to or destructive of something.

   Sloth is the foe of health.

F.O.E.

²

abbreviation

1. Fraternal Order of Eagles.

FoE

¹

abbreviation

1. Friends of the Earth

foe

²

/ fəʊ /

noun

1. formal,  another word for enemy

Word History and Origins

Origin of foe¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English foo, Old English fāh “hostile,” gefāh “enemy”; cognate with Old High German gifēh “at war”; feud ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of foe¹

Old English fāh hostile; related to Old High German fēhan to hate, Old Norse feikn dreadful; see _feud ¹

Synonym Study

See enemy.

Example Sentences

There are no human protagonists needed to outmaneuver a deadly alien foe this time around.

From Los Angeles Times

"Scarcity in Test cricket is our friend, not our foe," said Greenberg.

From BBC

And while he went after his old nemeses with gusto, he saved some vitriol for his more recent foe Joe Biden by saying again that the 2020 election was rigged: “I did win that election.”

From Salon

As everyone paying attention — including Sinner — knows by now, Alcaraz is not just any foe.

From Los Angeles Times

Other political heavyweights in the coalition include former Senate President David Mark, who like Atiku is leaving the PDP, former Tinubu ally turned foe Nasir El-Rufai and powerful minister in the last dispensation Rotimi Amaechi.

From BBC

Related Words

• adversary 
• antagonist 
• enemy 
• rival