enemy

noun

en·​e·​my ˈe-nə-mē How to pronounce enemy (audio)
plural enemies
Synonyms of enemynext
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The upgrade would allow the aircraft to launch cruise missiles and large numbers of drones from outside enemy air defense zones. Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 21 Apr. 2026 All too often, governments are coming down on the side of those enemies, not our troops. Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 21 Apr. 2026 With the series now tied, McCollum has at least three more games to add to his newfound lore as a Knicks enemy, including at least one more at the Garden. Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 21 Apr. 2026 One bright afternoon, Obama took in a baseball game with then-President Raúl Castro, the leaders of longtime enemy nations chatting behind home plate. Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 20 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for enemy

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Enemy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/enemy. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.

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"

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