--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The one thing worse than an enemy is a…" description: "\"The one thing worse than an enemy is a friend turned false.\" — Philip Reeve" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e17/philip-reeve-13157_enemy_the-one-thing-worse-than-an-enemy-is-a-f_1526223.png" --- # The one thing worse than an enemy is a friend turned false. ![“The one thing worse than an enemy is a friend turned false.” quote by Philip Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e17/philip-reeve-13157_enemy_the-one-thing-worse-than-an-enemy-is-a-f_1526223.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e17/philip-reeve-13157_enemy_the-one-thing-worse-than-an-enemy-is-a-f_1526223.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e17/philip-reeve-13157_enemy_the-one-thing-worse-than-an-enemy-is-a-f_1526223.png) > “The one thing worse than an enemy is a friend turned false.” [Philip Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-reeve/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A false friend is more damaging than an outright enemy. **In simple terms:** Betrayal hurts deeper than opposition. Key Takeaway Guard against disloyalty. Themes friendship betrayal trust Mood cautious reflective Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - personal relationships - political alliances - team projects Key Concepts deception loyalty Questions to Reflect On - How do you detect false friends? - Can you forgive betrayal? A Different Perspective Not all enemies are obvious. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Enemy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy/) [Friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friend/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) ## Related quotes > [While it is often true that the enemy of my enemy is my friend, it seems like Yahoo's almost obsessive focus on Google is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kara-swisher/while-it-is-often-true-that-the-enemy-of-my-enemy-is-my-friend-it/) [Kara Swisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kara-swisher/) > [The awkward moment when you jump a person thinking it was your friend but it turned out to not be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-awkward-moment-when-you-jump-a-person-thinking-it-was-your-friend/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A real friend will always be there even if his friend has turned bad so that he can correct him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jetking/a-real-friend-will-always-be-there-even-if-his-friend-has-turned-bad/) Jetking > [That one best friend that turned into a stranger...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/that-one-best-friend-that-turned-into-a-stranger/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A real friend will always be there although his friend has turned bad so that he can correct his friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jetking/a-real-friend-will-always-be-there-although-his-friend-has-turned-bad/) Jetking > [My old Best Friend turned emo once she went to her new school where my boyfriend goes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shay/my-old-best-friend-turned-emo-once-she-went-to-her-new-school-where/) [Shay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shay/) > [A man has no worse enemy than himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/a-man-has-no-worse-enemy-than-himself/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [“Sometimes the silence of your friends is worse than your enemy's words.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/sometimes-the-silence-of-your-friends-is-worse-than-your-enemy-s-words/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [Im My Best Friend, & Im My Worse Enemy...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trapboy/im-my-best-friend-im-my-worse-enemy/) Trapboy > [Those who are not with Mr. Bush are against him. Worse, they are with the enemy. Which is odd, because I'm dead against Bush,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/those-who-are-not-with-mr-bush-are-against-him-worse-they-are-with/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) > [The flesh is a worse enemy than the devil himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-ambrose/the-flesh-is-a-worse-enemy-than-the-devil-himself/) [Isaac Ambrose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-ambrose/) > [He has no worse enemy than himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/he-has-no-worse-enemy-than-himself/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [“Women have been ignored but have been their own worse enemy”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-stibbe/women-have-been-ignored-but-have-been-their-own-worse-enemy/) [Nina Stibbe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-stibbe/) > [There is nothing worse than an enemy with imagination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-kay-penman/there-is-nothing-worse-than-an-enemy-with-imagination/) [Sharon Kay Penman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-kay-penman/) > [The dogmatist within is always worse than the enemy without.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/the-dogmatist-within-is-always-worse-than-the-enemy-without/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) ## More by Philip Reeve > [“She wanted to stop, but she was riding a wave of memory and it was carrying her backward to that night, that room, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-reeve/she-wanted-to-stop-but-she-was-riding-a-wave-of-memory-and-it-was/) [Philip Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-reeve/) > [he cut through the 21st Century Gallery, past the big plastic statues of Pluto and Mickey, animal headed gods of lost America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-reeve/he-cut-through-the-21st-century-gallery-past-the-big-plastic-statues/) [Philip Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-reeve/) > [“Its a town eat town world”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-reeve/its-a-town-eat-town-world/) [Philip Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-reeve/) > [“It will be all right, Tom. Wherever we go now, whatever becomes of us, we'll be together, and it will all be all right.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-reeve/it-will-be-all-right-tom-wherever-we-go-now-whatever-becomes-of-us-we/) [Philip Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-reeve/) > [“The Scriven men wore stack-heeled boots and pearl-studded evening coats; the ladies in their vast skirts looked like mythical creatures, half woman, half sofa.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-reeve/the-scriven-men-wore-stack-heeled-boots-and-pearl-studded-evening/) [Philip Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-reeve/) > [“Oenone had found the chapel by accident, and was not certain what kept drawing her back to it. She was not a Christian. Few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-reeve/oenone-had-found-the-chapel-by-accident-and-was-not-certain-what-kept/) [Philip Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-reeve/) > [“Uncle knows best.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-reeve/uncle-knows-best/) [Philip Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-reeve/) > [“But the look on his face was so strange that I hadn't the heart to take his story away from him. He believed it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-reeve/but-the-look-on-his-face-was-so-strange-that-i-hadn-t-the-heart-to/) [Philip Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-reeve/) > [“And isn't that what all boys want and all men, too? Just to be taken seriously?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-reeve/and-isn-t-that-what-all-boys-want-and-all-men-too-just-to-be-taken/) [Philip Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-reeve/) > [Godshawk looked surprised, the way that people generally do when you ask them philosophical questions in shrubberies in the middle of the night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-reeve/godshawk-looked-surprised-the-way-that-people-generally-do-when-you/) [Philip Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-reeve/) > [“Outside, Melliphant's ear flattened itself against the wood of the door like a pale slug.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-reeve/outside-melliphant-s-ear-flattened-itself-against-the-wood-of-the/) [Philip Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-reeve/) > [“Waste not, want not’ is the Engineers’ motto, Miss. Properly processed human ordure makes very useful fuel for our city’s engines. And we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-reeve/waste-not-want-not-is-the-engineers-motto-miss-properly-processed/) [Philip Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-reeve/) > [I don't travel much; I just stay at home and imagine weird places.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-reeve/i-don-t-travel-much-i-just-stay-at-home-and-imagine-weird-places/) [Philip Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-reeve/) > [Is it...dead?" asked Tom, his voice all quivery with fright. "A town just ran over him," said Hester. "I shouldn't think he's very well...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-reeve/is-it-dead-asked-tom-his-voice-all-quivery-with-fright-a-town-just/) [Philip Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-reeve/) > [“The closest she had been to them was certain summer evenings when they had gone for picnics in the magravine's ice-barge -- simple family…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-reeve/the-closest-she-had-been-to-them-was-certain-summer-evenings-when/) [Philip Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-reeve/) [Explore all 51 Philip Reeve quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-reeve/) ## More Enemy quotes > [Shall there be truth between us, as two men? Not as friends, but as enemies and equals?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/shall-there-be-truth-between-us-as-two-men-not-as-friends-but-as/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [Art isn't done to decorate apartments, but to wage war against the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-isn-t-done-to-decorate-apartments-but-to-wage-war-against-the/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) > [“Before you were my enemy, you were my best friend.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/before-you-were-my-enemy-you-were-my-best-friend/) [Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/) > [It is the rule in war, if our forces are ten to the enemy's one, to surround him; if five to one, to attack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/it-is-the-rule-in-war-if-our-forces-are-ten-to-the-enemy-s-one-to/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [Fear is a man's worst enemy, but love is a man's most powerful weapon against anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/fear-is-a-man-s-worst-enemy-but-love-is-a-man-s-most-powerful-weapon/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The surprise of an army is now next to an impossibility. ... Prearranged surprises are rare and difficult because in order to plan one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-henri-jomini/the-surprise-of-an-army-is-now-next-to-an-impossibility-prearranged/) [Antoine-Henri Jomini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-henri-jomini/) > [“Never let your Enemies become your Advocates.” by A. K. Hasan”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-k-hasan/never-let-your-enemies-become-your-advocates-by-a-k-hasan/) A.K. Hasan > [The concept of humanity is an especially useful ideological instrument of imperialist expansion, and in its ethical-humanitarian form it is a specific vehicle of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-schmitt/the-concept-of-humanity-is-an-especially-useful-ideological/) [Carl Schmitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-schmitt/) > [Pain held no terror for him. Pain was, if not friend, then family, something he had grown up with in his crèche, learning to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-bacigalupi/pain-held-no-terror-for-him-pain-was-if-not-friend-then-family/) [Paolo Bacigalupi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-bacigalupi/) > [To achieve victory we must mass our forces at the hub of all power & movement. The enemy's 'Center of Gravity'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-achieve-victory-we-must-mass-our-forces-at-the-hub-of-all-power/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't see why we and the Chinese should have to be enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indira-gandhi/i-don-t-see-why-we-and-the-chinese-should-have-to-be-enemies/) [Indira Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indira-gandhi/) > [The invention of gunpowder and the constant improvement of firearms are enough in themselves to show that the advance of civilization has done nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/the-invention-of-gunpowder-and-the-constant-improvement-of-firearms/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) > [Perfection is the enemy of greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/perfection-is-the-enemy-of-greatness/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [In this business, you find the enemy, then go after and destroy him. Everything else is rubbish!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-rickenbacker/in-this-business-you-find-the-enemy-then-go-after-and-destroy-him/) [Eddie Rickenbacker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-rickenbacker/) > [“Enemies Teach. Friends Preach.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tapan-ghosh/enemies-teach-friends-preach/) [Tapan Ghosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tapan-ghosh/) [Browse all 7,981 Enemy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The one thing worse than an enemy is a friend turned false.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Philip Reeve" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-reeve/the-one-thing-worse-than-an-enemy-is-a-friend-turned-false/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Enemy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-reeve/the-one-thing-worse-than-an-enemy-is-a-friend-turned-false/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e17/philip-reeve-13157_enemy_the-one-thing-worse-than-an-enemy-is-a-f_1526223.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e17/philip-reeve-13157_enemy_the-one-thing-worse-than-an-enemy-is-a-f_1526223.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e17/philip-reeve-13157_enemy_the-one-thing-worse-than-an-enemy-is-a-f_1526223.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The one thing worse than an enemy is a friend turned false.” — Philip Reeve", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Philip Reeve", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-reeve/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The one thing worse than an...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-reeve/the-one-thing-worse-than-an-enemy-is-a-friend-turned-false/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-reeve/the-one-thing-worse-than-an-enemy-is-a-friend-turned-false/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```