frenemy

[ fren-uh-mee ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

Informal. a person or group that is friendly toward another because the relationship brings benefits, but harbors feelings of resentment or rivalry:
Clearly, turning the competition into frenemies is good for your business.

Origin of frenemy¹

First recorded in 1950-55; fr(iend) none + enemy none

Without its Korean frenemy, the company will have to switch to a new megasupplier.

This episode illuminates the omnipresent peril the current president faces in having such a high-profile, high-octane frenemy.

"From far away, she's OK," as Clueless' Cher (Alicia Silverstone) famously explains of her frenemy, Amber.

I don't really count going to 1Oak as being a socialite," sniffs a woman who refers to Snowdon-Jones as her "frenemy.

Gwyneth had a frenemy once and was troubled at the joy she felt when this person suffered a terrible public humiliation.

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