foe

1 of 2

noun

ˈfō How to pronounce foe (audio)
Synonyms of foe
1
: one who has personal enmity for another
Embrace, embrace, my Sons! be foes no more!—Alexander Pope
2
a
: an enemy in war
b
: adversary, opponent
a political foe
3
: one who opposes on principle
a foe of needless expenditures
a foe of censorship
4
: something prejudicial or injurious
a foe to health

FOE

2 of 2

abbreviation

Fraternal Order of Eagles

Synonyms of foe

Relevance

Noun

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of foe in a Sentence

Noun Many considered him a foe of democracy. Her ability was acknowledged by friend and foe alike.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Only five of their 2026 opponents had winning records last season, and their nine league opponents combined for a 28-53 record against Big Ten foes. — Scott Dochterman, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026 But this season, their division foes haven’t gotten any easier, and the rest of the league is out to test whether quarterback Sam Darnold can maintain last season’s star-worthy production. — Nbc Sports, NBC news, 26 Aug. 2026 Strap on the gloves for one last marathon through the life of Rocky Balboa, his friends, and his foes. — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 25 Aug. 2026 McCollum knocked off the incumbent GOP congressman in their primary and then defeated his Democratic foe on election day in a district that had more Dems than Republicans. — Orlando Sentinel Staff, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for foe

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

Phrases Containing foe

Rhymes for foe

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Browse Nearby Words

fodient
foe
FOE
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Cite this Entry

“Foe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/foe. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

foe

noun
ˈfō How to pronounce foe (audio)
1
: one who hates another
2
: an enemy in war
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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