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 for

1. Fraternal Order of Eagles.

FoE

¹

abbreviation for

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

But Trump just won reelection on a promise to abolish birthright citizenship, and he seems unlikely to elevate a vocal foe of his own plan to the high court.

From Slate

A healthy gut microbiome helps your immune system distinguish between friend and foe, reducing the risk of infections and autoimmune disorders.

From Salon

He subsequently appeared in All of Us Strangers, Foe and The Lost Daughter, and was Oscar nominated for his performance in 2022's Aftersun.

From BBC

"Fifa should really be fronting as a friend but it acts more like a foe. That's something we want to change."

From BBC

But displeasure with its foe, Hezbollah, is also growing.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• adversary
• antagonist
• enemy
• rival