enemy

noun
UK: /ˈen.ə.mi/
US: /ˈen.ə.mi/

  1. A person who hates or fights against another; a rival or opponent.

    1. He is my enemy, so I avoid him. [ ] [ ]
    2. The two countries have been enemies for a very long time due to the conflict. [ ] [ ]

  2. A hostile force or nation; someone opposing or endangering something.

    1. The army fought the enemy bravely. [ ] [ ]
    2. Pollution is a silent enemy, threatening the health of our planet and future. [ ] [ ]

  3. Something harmful or detrimental.

    1. Laziness is the enemy of success. [ ] [ ]
    2. Procrastination became the enemy of completing my important project on time. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

opponent rival foe adversary
enemy adjective

  1. Relating to or characteristic of an enemy; hostile.

    1. That was an enemy attack, very bad. [ ] [ ]
    2. The enemy forces were advancing towards our borders, posing a serious threat. [ ] [ ]
enemy transitive-verb

  1. To treat someone as an enemy.

    1. Do not enemy your neighbour. [ ] [ ]
    2. She tried not to enemy anyone, believing in the power of understanding and diplomacy. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "enemy" in English means: A person who hates or fights against another; a rival or opponent., A hostile force or nation; someone opposing or endangering something., Something harmful or detrimental..

The phonetic transcription of "enemy" is /ˈen.ə.mi/ in British English and /ˈen.ə.mi/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "enemy": opponent, rival, foe, adversary.

Example usage of "enemy": "He is my enemy, so I avoid him.". More examples on the page.