Definitions
Wiktionary
- n. Someone who pretends to be your friend, but is really your enemy.
Examples
“The term frenemy appeared in print as early as 1953, but gained huge popularity in the past few years.”
“Though the term frenemy is not gender-specific, there is something troubling about the fact that it is overwhelmingly applied to women.”
“The term frenemy, seamlessly blending the words fri (end) and enemy, refers to someone who pretends to be a friend but actually is an enemy --- a proverbial wolf in sheep's clothing in the world of friendships.”
“I kinda feel like some of these could have happened purposefully in an effort to humorously combine the two words that sound alike, you know, kinda like "frenemy" -- "congraduation.”
“The actress refuses to name names, simply calling the ex-pal a "frenemy" - leading gossips to speculate on who the old friend might be.”
“The frenemy is the dark side of the user, with manipulation an underlying factor in these negative relationships.”
Therese Borchard: 10 Types Of Female Friends: How Many Do You Have?
“Anyway, she says a frenemy is a friend who is partly an enemy, or a friend that you kind of dislike.”
“She could also be your "frenemy" -- you know, the one you think slept with your boyfriend -- or that sleazeball co-worker who undermined you to the boss.”
“While most research on friendship and health has focused on the positive relationship between the two, a frenemy is a potential source of irritation and stress.”
“Maybe I fear that writing one story will have me back to the world where perspective is lost, where every other writer is a "frenemy" see what I did there and I'm conflicted when they get into journals I know will never take me.”
Lists
These user-created lists contain the word ‘frenemy’.
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sniglets
sniglets and neologisms
random neologisms, compound words plus more
( randomness )bimp, darf, sketchy, blurfle, doork, elbonics, facon, fuffle, gibble, gyroped, hangle, passhole and 122 more...
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Neologisms
'New' words.
neurogami, sexting, plussies, plussy, churnalism, hecka, greenwashing, greenwash, Blogistan, diactrize, subsume, cachebusting and 27 more...
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Portmanteaux
Words formed by joining two others and combining their meanings.
neurogami, sexting, churnalism, palabrarium, douchoisie, rhinocerwurst, handwavium, sharrow, malamanteau, frenemy, netiquette, brunch and 10 more...
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Fun to Say
Oh-so-pronounceable words.
schwa, sprack, rubbly, swashbuckler, hecka, tartine, ambiguous, ghee, trapped in, abecedarius, highfalutin, dirigible and 24 more...
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Dumbisms
Words and phrases I don't like. They are dumb.
re-look, good to go, reinvent the wheel, do what, ducks in a row, re-up, twofer, irregardless, repurpose, ballyhoo, bells and whistles, webinar and 53 more...
MomA "Frenemy" was added to the Webster Dictionary this year. It means someone who acts or pretends to be your friend, when in fact they don't like you and don't have your best interests at heart and they work against you. Sep 14, 2009
vjachimowicz A frenemy is someone who acts like a friend but is really an enemy.
"I thought Tammy was my friend, but based on her recent behavior, I've realized she is actually a frenemy." Jul 9, 2009
chained_bear Does this word apply to people you don't know very well and don't care to get to know any better who still try to befriend you on social networking sites? Aug 11, 2008
she I agree. I think because it's in cahoots with pronouncing friend as "fren." Aug 11, 2008
yarb This word is just pure shite! Aug 11, 2008
thtownse What a dum word. Aug 11, 2008
jrome "* Risk is asymmetrical. First parties “bet the company�? before launch, but independent game-makers “bet the company�? for years after. This creates “frenemies�? who battle for game market share and profits."
Bing Gordon, http://zblog.zynga.com/?p=3 Aug 11, 2008
slumry Yes, it could be a friend who does you dirt. Jul 16, 2007
john Or a friend disguised as an enemy. Or someone or something that's both at once:
"In this new open web world, where the cost of rolling out services is remarkably low, and eyeballs are the currency, everyone is a frenemy. Friends of today are enemies of tomorrow. Enemies of today are tomorrow’s friends."
- from GigaOM, 6/27/07 Jul 16, 2007
oroboros An enemy disguised as a friend. Cf. Trojan Horse. May 22, 2007