What does "enemy" mean?
Someone who is hostile to, feels hatred towards, opposes the interests of, or intends injury to someone else.
Enemy
/ˈɛn.ə.mi/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Someone who is hostile to, feels hatred towards, opposes the interests of, or intends injury to someone else.
- Grammar: enemy is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: foe, adversary, antagonist, opponent.
- Useful contrasts: constant companion, dearest, icelandic félagi.
- Usage evidence: What you've done is profitable only to the enemy.
How to use "enemy"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "enemy" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "enemy" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "enemy" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "enemy" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "enemy" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "foe" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "enemy", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Someone who is hostile to, feels hatred towards, opposes the interests of, or intends injury to someone else.
"under enemy duress"
- 2 any hostile group of people wordnet
- 3 A hostile force or nation; a fighting member of such a force or nation.
"Rally together against a common enemy."
- 4 an opposing military force wordnet
- 5 Something harmful or threatening to another
"The very thing the 16 skiers and snowboarders had sought — fresh, soft snow — instantly became the enemy. Somewhere above, a pristine meadow cracked in the shape of a lightning bolt, slicing a slab nearly 200 feet across and 3 feet deep. Gravity did the rest."
Show 4 more definitions
- 6 an armed adversary (especially a member of an opposing military force) wordnet
- 7 Of, by, relating to, or belonging to an enemy. attributive
"The building was destroyed by enemy bombing."
- 8 a personal enemy wordnet
- 9 A non-player character that tries to harm the player.
"Use gadgets like Nakishkas to fend off enemies."
Verb
- 1 To make an enemy of.
"These prelates and nobles, seeing themselves dispossessed by the death of this king don Alfonso, to whom they had adhered, and enemied with the king don Enrique his brother, whom they had deserted, were in great fear, dreading the indignation of the king, whom by letters and words they had much injured; and they found no other remedy for their defense but to continue the division which they had begun in the realm, raising for queen of it the princess doña Isabel in place of her brother."
Antonyms
Example
"What you've done is profitable only to the enemy."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "enemy"?
Common synonyms include: foe, adversary, antagonist, opponent, rival, adversarial.
How do you use "enemy" in a sentence?
What you've done is profitable only to the enemy.
How do you pronounce "enemy"?
Pronounced /ˈɛn.ə.mi/.
Etymology
From Middle English enemy, enemye, enmy, borrowed from Old French enemi, anemi (Modern French ennemi), from Latin inimīcus, from in- (“not”) + amīcus (“friend”). Displaced Middle English fend (“enemy”), from Old English fēond (“enemy”), which survived into Modern English as fiend, but with a different meaning. Doublet of inimic.