encounter 1 of 2

verb

in-ˈkau̇n-tər How to pronounce encounter (audio)
Definition of encounternext
1
as in to meet
to come upon face-to-face or as if face-to-face quite unexpectedly encountered our next-door neighbor while vacationing in Europe

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to find
to come upon unexpectedly or by chance we encountered a host of unforeseen problems during the restoration of our 200-year-old house

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to face
to enter into contest or conflict with the troops encountered bands of guerrilla fighters as they made their way across the desert

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

encounter

2 of 2

noun

as in skirmish
a brief clash between enemies or rivals survived an encounter with the school bully at the local park

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of encounter
Verb
One reporter encountered Miami city commissioners sworn in at a private ceremony. — David Cuillier, The Conversation, 11 Mar. 2025 Sanders encountered more adversity in his second season with the Panthers. — Mike Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 11 Mar. 2025
Noun
According to police reports, as the initial encounter with Bowen was unfolding, Detective Joseph Walsh drove to Magnolia Street and got out of his car. — Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 10 Mar. 2025 Christian and Brax, estranged for nearly a decade for reasons that still aren’t entirely clear, find their way back to one another through a series of charming encounters. — Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for encounter
Recent Examples of Synonyms for encounter
  1. meet
  2. find
  3. face
  4. skirmish
  5. confront
  6. brush
  7. catch
  8. fight
Verb
  • San Diego college basketball teams are meeting the moment and making history.
    — Kate Murphy, Axios, 17 Mar. 2025
  • Yet, despite its importance, the world's largest copper mines in regions like Chile, Peru and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) are struggling to meet demand amid a global shortage, all while grappling with escalating environmental concerns.
    — Scott Neuman, NPR, 16 Mar. 2025
Definition of meet
Verb
  • Many focused on the birdies and course-tying score, but leave it up to golf stat guru Justin Ray to find another impressive stat to pile onto Thomas' performance.
    — Mark Davis, Newsweek, 15 Mar. 2025
  • The prior-generation Long-Range Rear-Wheel Drive, the Long-Range All-Wheel Drive, and Performance All-Wheel Drive are only found on the inventory page now – where they are being heavily discounted in some cases.
    — Brooke Crothers, Forbes, 15 Mar. 2025
Definition of find
Verb
  • The company also faced stiff competition from the likes of Shein and Temu, which churn out trendy items that are cheaper than what Forever 21 offers.
    — Michelle Chapman, Chicago Tribune, 17 Mar. 2025
  • In the next round, the Gamecocks could face one of the most potent 3-point shooting teams in the country regardless of who wins the No. 8 versus No. 9 game.
    — Mark Schindler, The Athletic, 17 Mar. 2025
Definition of face
Noun
  • The killings helped ignite the Revolutionary War that began following the April 19, 1775, skirmishes called the Battle of Lexington and Concord and the vastly bloodier June 17, 1775, Battle of Bunker Hill in Charlestown.
    — Peter Lucas, Boston Herald, 3 Mar. 2025
  • Since the onset of Israel’s war against Hamas, the Israel Defense Forces engaged in cross-border skirmishes with Hezbollah – including ground operations on Lebanese soil – until a ceasefire deal was struck late last year.
    — Greg Norman, Fox News, 28 Feb. 2025
Definition of skirmish
Verb
  • Keating, 72, quickly interrupted McBride to confront Self, insisting that the chairman repeat his introduction of their colleague.
    — Rachel Raposas, People.com, 12 Mar. 2025
  • In fact, Maron used almost everything in his life to confront this loss.
    — Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Mar. 2025
Definition of confront
Noun
  • What To Do: Use a stiff drain brush and enzymatic drain cleaner to clear out sludge.
    — Arricca Elin SanSone, Southern Living, 16 Mar. 2025
  • The cleaning pro suggests using a soft brush paired with a pet-safe cleaner to scrub spots like corners, baseboards, and grout lines.
    — Patricia Shannon, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Mar. 2025
Definition of brush
Verb
  • How To Solve Today’s Wordle The Hint: Pursue in order to catch.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes, 13 Mar. 2025
  • Gordon did score Newcastle’s second goal that night, when Quansah’s lack of familiarity with the role caught him out.
    — Andy Jones, The Athletic, 13 Mar. 2025
Definition of catch
Noun
  • The president’s latest cruel attempt to ban transgender troops won’t survive without a fight, writes columnist Robin Abcarian.
    — Terry Castleman, Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2025
  • Building on the success of The Real Housewives of Melbourne and The Real Housewives of Auckland, this second spin-off was created and originally premiered on February 26, 2017 before getting cancelled after one season due to its extreme fights and harsh language.
    — Maya Gandara, StyleCaster, 11 Mar. 2025
Definition of fight

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Cite this Entry

“Encounter.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/encounter. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.

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