enemies

NOUN

someone hated or competed against

Synonyms

STRONGEST

adversary agent antagonist attacker bandit competitor criminal detractor foe guerrilla invader murderer opponent opposition prosecutor rebel rival spy terrorist traitor villain

STRONG

assailant assassin backbiter betrayer contender defamer defiler disputant emulator falsifier informer inquisitor revolutionary saboteur slanderer traducer vilifier

WEAK

archenemy asperser bad person calumniator fifth column other side seditionist

Antonyms

STRONGEST

ally associate friend helper law police supporter

WEAK

aide assistant confidante

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

enemies

I’m kidding: Even under normal circumstances, giving private companies this much power is likely to incentivize inventing enemies to fight or drive unnecessary spending.

From Salon ● Aug. 17, 2026

During that time, he made a slew of enemies — from mob figures who accused him of fabricating evidence to fellow law enforcement officials who described him as a glory-seeking loose cannon.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026

He said: "Harold's policy on the papacy may ultimately have played into the hands of his enemies, giving William's opportunistic invasion the legitimacy of a just war."

From Science Daily ● Aug. 11, 2026

Our biggest enemies in retirement are inflation, healthcare costs before Medicare eligibility, and long-term care costs.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 10, 2026

Behind the retreating armies—and sometimes beside them, in the spreading confusion of the mass retreat—marched hundreds of thousands of German soldiers as tired as their enemies.

From "The War to End All Wars: World War I" by Russell Freedman