ENEMIES Synonyms: 51 Similar and Opposite Words

enemies

noun

plural of enemy

as in foes

one that is hostile toward another a beloved minister with no known enemies

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of enemies As old enemies and unfinished business resurface, Paul is drawn deeper into a struggle for justice and redemption against a wider network of corruption and abuse of power in contemporary Nigeria. — Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 2 Sep. 2026 His father’s political enemies used his problems with crack to try and erode trust in the Biden administration. — David Manheim, Rolling Stone, 1 Sep. 2026 Thirty years ago, McDonald instilled terror into his enemies. — Jeff Weiss, HollywoodReporter, 1 Sep. 2026 But in the summer of 1988, the central moment of the novel’s plot, there are layers upon layers to that gay community, and its enemies. — Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026 The intervention of Allied troops on the White Russian side in the Russian Civil War deepened Bolshevik paranoia, and Bolshevik leaders concluded that hostile powers would always seek to destroy Russia by cultivating internal enemies. — Andrei Soldatov, Foreign Affairs, 31 Aug. 2026 While clearing mobs of enemies can be fun, the combat really shines during the game’s many boss fights. — Zackery Cuevas, PC Magazine, 31 Aug. 2026 Making matters more complicated, Liz had taken out a $500,000 life insurance policy and did not have any clear enemies, according to her family. — Curran Rastogi, ABC News, 31 Aug. 2026 Posture is often more important than vitality, since deathblows can be activated even if an enemy has high health, but higher health also aids faster posture recovery, both for Wolf and his enemies. — Aman Kumar, Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for enemies

Noun

Only five of their 2026 opponents had winning records last season, and their nine league opponents combined for a 28-53 record against Big Ten foes.

— Scott Dochterman, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026
But this season, their division foes haven’t gotten any easier, and the rest of the league is out to test whether quarterback Sam Darnold can maintain last season’s star-worthy production.

— NBC Sports, NBC news, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of foes

Noun

But by defending in this way, Chelsea are giving smart opponents the advantage in the battle for possession.

— Jon Mackenzie, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2026
But neither opponents nor his own Labour Party legislators have been able to grill him on the details of pledges made against the tough backdrop of mounting security challenges and economic pressure from the Iran war.

— ABC News, ABC News, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of opponents

Browse Nearby Words

end users

enemies

enemy

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Enemies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/enemies. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of enemies

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

matriculate

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Games & Quizzes