foe

1 of 2

noun

Synonyms of foenext
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

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
Could early February's blast of cold in the northeastern United States be one of the last appearances of our wintertime foe, the polar vortex? Doyle Rice, USA Today, 7 Feb. 2026 From that moment forward, the two Bay State Conference foes traded punches throughout, exchanging one run after the next. Brendan Connelly, Boston Herald, 7 Feb. 2026 Afterward Knight, playing in her fifth Olympics, suggested that the virus may indeed be her team’s most dangerous foe in Milan. Los Angeles Times, 7 Feb. 2026 As dangerous foes close in, the pair must come together in order to navigate the road ahead. Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 6 Feb. 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Foe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/foe. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.

Kids Definition

foe

noun
1
: one who hates another
2
: an enemy in war

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