enemy

noun

en·​e·​my ˈe-nə-mē 

plural enemies

1

: one that is antagonistic to another

especially : one seeking to injure, overthrow, or confound an opponent

2

: something harmful or deadly

alcohol was his greatest enemy

3

a

: a military adversary

b

: a hostile unit or force

Synonyms

• adversary
• antagonist
• foe
• hostile
• opponent

Examples of enemy in a Sentence

He made a lot of enemies during the course of his career.

Tradition is the enemy of progress.

Recent Examples on the Web

For entrepreneurs, perfection is the enemy of getting started, gaining traction, and ultimately building a successful business on what might be a great idea waiting for execution. —Alexander Puutio, Forbes.com, 26 Mar. 2025

Signal’s President Meredith Whittaker Shares What’s Next for the Private Messaging App Over the last few years, Signal has been used by dissidents and protestors around the world who want to keep their conversations safe from political enemies or law enforcement. —Andrew R. Chow, Time, 26 Mar. 2025

However, due to their size and slow speed, these vessels are highly vulnerable to enemy fire and would likely only be deployed as part of a second wave, following the initial landing forces across the Strait, which is around 80 miles wide at its narrowest point, experts say. —Yong Xiong, CNN, 25 Mar. 2025

Its initial attempts at a judicial overhaul sparked mass street protests in 2023 and calls to refuse military service, with warnings from Israel's security chiefs that the domestic unrest could entice Israel's regional enemies to attack the country. —Daniel Estrin, NPR, 25 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English enmy, enemi, borrowed from Anglo-French enemi, going back to Latin inimīcus, noun derivative of inimīcus, adjective, "of an opponent, unfriendly, hostile," from in- in- entry 1 + amīcus "friendly, well-disposed, loving" — more at amiable

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing enemy

• behind enemy lines
• enemy territory
• mortal enemy
• public enemy number one

Kids Definition

enemy

noun

en·​e·​my ˈen-ə-mē 

plural enemies

1

: one that tries to hurt or overthrow or that seeks the failure of another

2

: something that harms

3

a

: a nation with which a country is at war

b

: a military force or a person belonging to such a nation

Etymology

Middle English enemi "enemy," from early French enemi (same meaning), from Latin inimicus (same meaning), from in- "not" and amicus "friend"