enemy

noun

en·​e·​my ˈe-nə-mē How to pronounce enemy (audio)
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

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 The pro-authoritarian flame was kept flickering alive by figures such as Patrick J. Buchanan who hailed Putin early on as a kind of paleoconservative who knew how to crush the internal liberal enemy and stand up against LGBTQ rights. Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 8 Mar. 2024 The prince defeats the enemies and discovers the secret of Galerius’ speedy takeover. Gieson Cacho, The Mercury News, 8 Mar. 2024 At National Review, our concern is not how our enemies might misrepresent us. Madeleine Kearns, National Review, 7 Mar. 2024 The leader’s nature and character, beliefs and behaviors, preferences and proclivities, style and substance, friends and enemies. Barbara Kellerman, Fortune, 6 Mar. 2024 This from someone who has railed nonstop against the media, calling them the enemy of the people. Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 6 Mar. 2024 In the ensuing power struggle, paranoid traffickers turn on close associates and inflict ever more grotesque forms of violence on their enemies, and on civilians. Alma Guillermoprieto, The New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2024 The film follows Alma, who discovers that her house has become her enemy. Leo Barraclough, Variety, 2 Mar. 2024 The show stars family patriarch Steve McBee, who is recently divorced, along with his sons Steven Jr., Jesse, Cole and Brayden and features tensions over who will take over the family business as well as their issues with enemies in their community. Emily Blackwood, Peoplemag, 2 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'enemy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of enemy was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near enemy

Cite this Entry

“Enemy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/enemy. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

enemy

noun
en·​e·​my ˈen-ə-mē How to pronounce enemy (audio)
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"

More from Merriam-Webster on enemy

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!