foe

1 of 2

noun

ˈfō 

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

Synonyms

Noun

• enemy
• opponent

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

Noun

Meanwhile, the Yari excels at taking down scythe-wielding foes. —Gieson Cacho, Mercury News, 26 Sep. 2025

While Mamdani leads by double digits in most major polls, potential shifts could arise if key foes withdraw or endorsements change the election's landscape. —Deputy News Editor, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Sep. 2025

New York — A few months after the collapse of Joann, a former foe is reviving the crafting and fabric store’s brand name. —Jordan Valinsky, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 2025

Gabriel Georges still ran for 136 yards and two TDs in just two quarters and even while being penalized, provided a quite on-the-nose representation of where the Red Raiders appear to sit in comparison to their TSSAA football Division II-AAA foes. —Jacob Shames, Nashville Tennessean, 24 Sep. 2025

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

Phrases Containing foe

• mortal foe/rival

Rhymes for foe

• beau
• beaux
• blow
• boe
• bro
• coe
• crow
• doe
• doh
• dough
• eau
• eaux

Kids Definition

foe

noun

ˈfō 

1

: one who hates another

2

: an enemy in war