enemy
Americannoun
plural
enemies-
a person who feels hatred for, fosters harmful designs against, or engages in antagonistic activities against another; an adversary or opponent.
- Synonyms:
- antagonist
- Antonyms:
- friend
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an armed foe; an opposing military force.
The army attacked the enemy at dawn.
- Antonyms:
- ally
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a hostile nation or state.
-
a citizen of such a state.
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enemies, persons, nations, etc., that are hostile to one another.
Let's make up and stop being enemies.
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something harmful or prejudicial.
His unbridled ambition is his worst enemy.
-
the Enemy, the Devil; Satan.
adjective
-
belonging to a hostile power or to any of its nationals.
enemy property.
-
Obsolete. inimical; ill-disposed.
noun
-
a person hostile or opposed to a policy, cause, person, or group, esp one who actively tries to do damage; opponent
-
-
an armed adversary; opposing military force
-
( as modifier )
enemy aircraft
-
-
-
a hostile nation or people
-
( as modifier )
an enemy alien
-
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something that harms or opposes; adversary
courage is the enemy of failure
Grammar
See collective noun.
Related Words
Enemy, foe refer to a dangerous public or personal adversary. Enemy emphasizes the idea of hostility: to overcome the enemy; a bitter enemy. Foe, a more literary word, may be used interchangeably with enemy, but emphasizes somewhat more the danger to be feared from such a one: deadly foe; arch foe of humankind ( the Devil ).
Other Word Forms
- nonenemy noun
Etymology
Origin of enemy
First recorded in 1300–1350; Middle English enemi, from Anglo-French, Old French, from Latin inimicus “unfriendly,” equivalent to in- in- 3 + amicus “friendly, friend”; amicable
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"Try to avoid enemy capture, as long as you can," Cantwell said.
From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026
Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi called the act a sign of moral collapse by “an enemy in disarray,” stating that such actions will not compel Iranians to surrender.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026
The enemy will likely take his words seriously and prepare to stave off his threats.
From Slate • Apr. 1, 2026
In 2027 or early 2028, Japanese forces will bring to Kyushu another new homegrown missile—the Hyper Velocity Gliding Projectile, designed to evade enemy defenses—after deploying one in central Japan this year.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026
Everything about them alerted me to one fact: I was their enemy.
From "Code Name Kingfisher" by Liz Kessler
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
