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
Give me Tennesee to cover without too much trouble against a UCLA team that dominated its first-round foe, Utah State, but went just 23-10 (13-7 Big Ten) this year. Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 22 Mar. 2025 In the comics, Muse uses the blood of his victims to create his art and is a particularly difficult foe for Daredevil because of his powers. Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 22 Mar. 2025 Queen and fellow Maryland big man Julian Reese should have their way inside, though (check out the highlights of what Purdue and Michigan's frontcourts did against mid-major foes yesterday for a taste of what GCU can expect). Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 21 Mar. 2025 Elsewhere, June’s former overlord and foe, Serena Joy Watford (Yvonne Strahovski), tries to make sense of her role in this new landscape, and perhaps even bring reform to Gilead. Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 19 Mar. 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 Apr. 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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