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Meaning & use

enemies

noun·Everyday

Last updated

UK/ˈenəmiz/
US/ˈenəmiz/

“enemies” is a form of “enemy”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.

Meanings

  1. nounplural

    People who dislike you, oppose you, or want to harm you.

    Grammar: Plural of 'enemy'; often follows 'have' or 'make': make enemies.

    Patterns

    • make enemies
    • enemies of someone

    Her honest criticism made her a few enemies at work.

    He has no enemies, because everyone likes him.

    The two neighbors became bitter enemies after the argument about the fence.

  2. nounpluralmilitary

    Countries or armed forces that fight against each other, or against your own side.

    Grammar: Used in news and history; often with 'the' and 'our': our enemies.

    Patterns

    • enemies of the state

    The two nations were old enemies for centuries.

    The army defended the border against its enemies.

    They united against their common enemies.

  3. nounpluralfigurative

    Things that harm or work against something good, such as health or progress.

    Grammar: Used figuratively: an enemy of progress.

    Patterns

    • enemies of something

    Stress and lack of sleep are the enemies of good health.

    Fear and doubt are the enemies of creativity.

Common combinations

make enemies
Be careful, you could make enemies if you speak that way.
sworn enemies
The families were sworn enemies for generations.
bitter enemies
They were bitter enemies until the end.
natural enemies
Cats and dogs are often seen as natural enemies.
defeat your enemies
The hero set out to defeat his enemies.
public enemies
The gang became public enemies in the city.

Synonyms and how they differ

foes
This is a more literary word for enemies and is common in stories and speeches.
opponents
This is milder and describes people competing, as in sports or politics, without hatred.
rivals
This suggests competition for the same goal and need not involve real hostility.
adversaries
This is more formal and often used for serious opponents in debates or conflicts.

Opposites

friendsallies

Word family

enemy noun
one person or group that opposes or hates another
enmity noun
deep, lasting hatred between people
inimical adjective
harmful or hostile
frenemy noun
someone who acts like a friend but is secretly a rival

Commonly confused: enemies or enimies? enemies or enemys?

enemies vs enimies

This is a misspelling; the correct plural is 'enemies'.

enemies vs enemys

This is wrong, because nouns ending in a consonant plus y change y to ies.

Practice

The plural of 'enemy' is spelled ____.

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