foe

1 of 2

noun

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

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
At the same time, Trump touts his Golden Dome missile shield, meant to protect the homeland and give America greater freedom of action against its foes. Hal Brands, Twin Cities, 13 July 2025 In the story, under assault by the Legion of Super-Villains and Lex Luthor (who was forcibly combined with longtime Superman foe Brainiac), Krypto takes on an irradiated villain, the Kryptonite Man. Daniel Dockery, Vulture, 11 July 2025 How that happened is a story of one man fighting an inevitably losing battle against aging, the one truly undefeated foe, and of another surging into his prime. Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 11 July 2025 Again, funny, but offers no hint as to the future of Superman or his various friends and foes in the DC Comics film adaptations. Eliana Dockterman, Time, 11 July 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 18 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

foe

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

More from Merriam-Webster on foe

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