foe

¹ American  

[foh] / foʊ /

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.

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F.O.E. ² American  

abbreviation

1. Fraternal Order of Eagles.

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FoE ¹ British  

abbreviation

1. Friends of the Earth

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foe ² British  

/ fəʊ /

noun

1. formal another word for enemy

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Related Words

See enemy.

Etymology

Origin of foe

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

Example Sentences

The Sooners have beaten five ranked teams this season—including last month when they took down Alabama, their foe in Friday’s College Football Playoff matchup in Norman, Okla.

From The Wall Street Journal

They tuned in to see Ohtani, Yamamoto and Sasaki, a trio that has left the Dodgers’ foes wondering if they will ever be able to compete for Japanese stars again.

From The Wall Street Journal

It’s hard to fathom the Tigers prevailing in a bidding war against a foe like the Dodgers or New York Yankees.

From The Wall Street Journal

This country, he promised, would “pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, to assure the survival and the success of liberty.”

From Salon

It was a furious end to what had otherwise been a gritty battle between Big Ten foes.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• adversary
• antagonist
• enemy
• rival