Meaning & use

foe

noun·Academic

An enemy or opponent, especially in a fight, war, or contest.

See it in a sentence

The two nations had been bitter foes for generations before finally signing a treaty.

She faced her toughest foe yet in the championship final.

A note on using this word

Foe is a somewhat literary or formal word; 'enemy' is more common in everyday speech.

Words with a similar meaning

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “foe”, then compare your use with the examples above.

Your draft stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.