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

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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
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Noun
Familiar foes The Dodgers and Brewers are meeting in the postseason for the fourth time — all since 2018. — Los Angeles Times, 8 Oct. 2026 With a 4-3 loss in Game 3 of the 2026 ALDS, the Yankees’ season ended with an AL East foe partying at their place once again on Wednesday. — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 8 Oct. 2026 Stocks are under pressure from the familiar foes of higher oil prices and bond yields. — Jim Cramer, CNBC, 7 Oct. 2026 Troy has won six straight games against the Golden Eagles dating to the 2021 season, including all five as Sun Belt foes. — ABC News, 6 Oct. 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

See All Rhymes for foe

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 14 Oct. 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
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