confrontation

noun

con·​fron·​ta·​tion ˌkän-(ˌ)frən-ˈtā-shən How to pronounce confrontation (audio)
: the act of confronting : the state of being confronted: such as
a
: a face-to-face meeting
a confrontation between the suspect and the victim
b
: the clashing of forces or ideas : conflict
a violent confrontation between rival gangs
c
: comparison
The flashbacks bring into meaningful confrontation present and past, near and far.R. J. Clements
confrontational adjective
confrontationist noun or adjective

Examples of confrontation in a Sentence

There were several violent confrontations between rival gangs. He would prefer not to have a confrontation with the authorities. a series of confrontations between residents and police We want cooperation, not confrontation. We seek to avoid military confrontation at all costs.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The confrontation between Antetokounmpo and Haliburton’s dad overshadowed what was a thrilling game on Tuesday. Ben Morse, CNN Money, 30 Apr. 2025 The confrontation occurred near North Waziristan, a former stronghold of the Pakistani Taliban in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, along the volatile Afghan border. Mohammed Soliman, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Apr. 2025 The confrontation unfolded around 3:55 p.m. on April 8, as officers descended on Lauren’s neighborhood in search of three hit-and-run suspects who police said fled from the scene of a nearby traffic accident. Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 26 Apr. 2025 This left the citizens with only one solution: direct confrontation. EW.com, 25 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for confrontation

Word History

Etymology

see confront

First Known Use

1632, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of confrontation was in 1632

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Confrontation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/confrontation. Accessed 4 May. 2025.

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