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
But Trump surprised supporters and foes alike by inviting the Democrat to the White House for what ended up being a cordial meeting in November. Anthony Izaguirre, Fortune, 2 Jan. 2026 But Trump surprised supporters and foes alike by inviting the Democrat to the White House for what ended up being a cordial meeting in November. Anthony Izaguirre, Los Angeles Times, 1 Jan. 2026 Trump has thoroughly corrupted the Justice Department, but its selective prosecutions of his foes have been thwarted by judges and, more strikingly, by grand juries. Michelle Goldberg, Mercury News, 30 Dec. 2025 Chris McSweeney and Kyle McSweeney combined for 31 points to pace Cohasset to a 63-47 victory over nonleague foe Collegiate Charter Lowell. Kristina Banahan, Boston Herald, 30 Dec. 2025 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 6 Jan. 2026.

Kids Definition

foe

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

More from Merriam-Webster on foe

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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