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
Over the past few weeks, President Trump has used executive orders to wage war on law firms, specifically targeting those whose lawyers have investigated or sued him, or represented his enemies in court.
—
Michael Barbaro, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2025
After an all-out war between Jacob and his enemies, scores of lifeless bodies are left on the platform in a win for the current and future Duttons, including that of Banner Creighton (Jerome Flynn).
—Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 6 Apr. 2025
Creative mode removes the hostile enemies and grants players godlike powers.
—Issy Van Der Velde, Rolling Stone, 5 Apr. 2025
One thing that should be unanimous, however, is that support for Israel should not be used as a dog whistle for politicians seeking to rid themselves of domestic political enemies.
—Chloe Breyer, New York Daily News, 4 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for enemy
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Michael Barbaro, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2025
After an all-out war between Jacob and his enemies, scores of lifeless bodies are left on the platform in a win for the current and future Duttons, including that of Banner Creighton (Jerome Flynn).
—Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 6 Apr. 2025
Creative mode removes the hostile enemies and grants players godlike powers.
—Issy Van Der Velde, Rolling Stone, 5 Apr. 2025
One thing that should be unanimous, however, is that support for Israel should not be used as a dog whistle for politicians seeking to rid themselves of domestic political enemies.
—Chloe Breyer, New York Daily News, 4 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for enemy
Cite this Entry
“Enemy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/enemy. Accessed 13 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
enemy
noun
en·e·my
ˈen-ə-mē 
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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