What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Enemy vs Threat - What's the difference?

enemy | threat |

As nouns the difference between enemy and threat

is that enemy is someone who is hostile to, feels hatred towards, opposes the interests of, or intends injury to someone else while threat is an expression of intent to injure or punish another.

As an adjective enemy

is of, relating to, or belonging to an enemy.

As a verb threat is

to press; urge; compel.

enemy

English

Noun

(wikipedia enemy) (enemies)
  • Someone who is hostile to, feels hatred towards, opposes the interests of, or intends injury to someone else.
  • He made a lot of enemies after reducing the working hours in his department.
    Crush the enemy !
  • A hostile force or nation; a fighting member of such a force or nation.
  • rally together against a common enemy .
  • An alliance of such forces.
  • Something harmful or threatening to another
  • * '>citation
  • The very thing the 16 skiers and snowboarders had sought — fresh, soft snow — instantly became the enemy . Somewhere above, a pristine meadow cracked in the shape of a lightning bolt, slicing a slab nearly 200 feet across and 3 feet deep. Gravity did the rest.

    Synonyms

    * foe * unfriend * adversary * nemesis * backfriend

    Antonyms

    * ally * friend

    Derived terms

    {{der3, archenemy , enemydom , enemyful , enemyhood , enemyish , enemyless , enemylike , enemyness , enemyship , enemywise}}

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • of, relating to, or belonging to an enemy
  • See also

    * nemesis

    Statistics

    *

    Anagrams

    * (l) 1000 English basic words ----

    threat

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) (m), (m), (m), .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • An expression of intent to injure or punish another.
  • * (William Shakespeare)
  • There is no terror, Cassius, in your threats .
  • An indication of imminent danger.
  • * {{quote-magazine, year=2013, month=May-June, author= Katrina G. Claw
  • , title= Rapid Evolution in Eggs and Sperm , volume=101, issue=3, magazine=(American Scientist) , passage=Many genes with reproductive roles also have antibacterial and immune functions, which indicate that the threat of microbial attack on the sperm or egg may be a major influence on rapid evolution during reproduction.}}
  • A person or object that is regarded as a danger; a menace.
  • * {{quote-news, year=2011, date=September 2, author=Phil McNulty, work=BBC
  • , title= Bulgaria 0-3 England , passage=Rooney's United team-mate Chris Smalling was given his debut at right-back and was able to adjust to the international stage in relatively relaxed fashion as Bulgaria barely posed a threat of any consequence.}}

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) (m), from (etyl) .

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (label) To press; urge; compel.
  • (archaic) To threaten.
  • * 1590 , Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene , I.vii:
  • An hideous Geant horrible and hye, / That with his talnesse seemd to threat the skye
  • * 1599 , , V. i. 37:
  • O yes, and soundless too; / For you have stolen their buzzing, Antony, / And very wisely threat before you sting.
  • (label) To use threats; act or speak menacingly; threaten.