public enemy

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.

To the religious authorities in England in the early 16th century, an obdurate Oxford scholar became a public enemy.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026

He wants to leave everything to me, but not tell his children, which would make me public enemy No. 1.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 16, 2026

There are more than 1,400 pests and diseases on the government's plant health risk register, but Ips has been labelled "public enemy number one".

From BBC • Aug. 30, 2025

Shortly after, Rubalcava’s then-boss, Assemblymember Avelino Valencia, told her something Briceño had allegedly said to him: “Natalie is public enemy No. 1, and I will stop at nothing until she’s recalled and politically ruined forever.”

From Los Angeles Times • May 29, 2024

One of those dots is the mother of public enemy number one, I think when I hear a faint wailing behind me.

From "Al Capone Does My Shirts" by Gennifer Choldenko