1
as in meets
to come upon face-to-face or as if face-to-face
quite unexpectedly encountered our next-door neighbor while vacationing in Europe
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in finds
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 faces
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
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of encounters
James Wood, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
Given the complaint’s estimate that Temu is responsible for over 10,000 spam emails to Californians each year, the company encounters considerable potential liability in a state that is a primary battleground for digital privacy rights.
—Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 1 May 2026
Because every experience a child has during their early years helps create new neural connections, wiring the brain for all future learning and connecting, encounters with AI slop may literally wire the brain incorrectly.
—Dana Suskind, Chicago Tribune, 30 Apr. 2026
In the film, Stella’s character encounters the 39-year-old version of herself — played by Plaza — while on a mushroom trip.
—Joe Otterson, Variety, 28 Apr. 2026
What was important for you in shaping how the viewer physically encounters the work?
—Eana Kim, ARTnews.com, 27 Apr. 2026
In addition, with weight loss often comes excess skin, another condition Kamal increasingly encounters as semiglutides become more prevalent.
—Cindy Krischer Goodman, Sun Sentinel, 25 Apr. 2026
What makes the whale encounters extra special is that the belugas are curious creatures and highly gregarious.
—Sarah Sekula, USA Today, 23 Apr. 2026
Two shots of the measles vaccine are about 97% effective in preventing illness, if given at least two weeks before the person encounters the virus.
—The Denver Post, Denver Post, 23 Apr. 2026
Matthew Carey, Deadline, 6 May 2026
The master of stories about chance encounters between strangers was undoubtedly Patricia Highsmith.
—Literary Hub, 6 May 2026
Gen Z is increasingly stepping away from dating apps and looking for love the old-fashioned way — through chance encounters at run clubs, book clubs, cycling groups and bird-watching meetups.
—Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 5 May 2026
Other women described receiving messages from Swalwell after everyday encounters – from restaurant workers who served him to a woman who stopped to say hello.
—Allison Gordon, CNN Money, 4 May 2026
Kwan usually runs one of the league’s lowest strikeout rates, but Chafin has struck him out three times in six encounters.
—Zack Meisel, New York Times, 4 May 2026
New Mexico and Arizona are hot spots, Harkins said, likely because the odds are greater for mouse-human encounters in rural areas.
—Susan Montoya Bryan, Chicago Tribune, 4 May 2026
Last fall, the task force heard testimony from current and former service members who described UAP encounters.
—ABC News, 3 May 2026
But this truth is anathema in a culture where billionaires expect to live forever and encounters with disease are wars to be fought and won.
—Hannah Kerman, STAT, 29 Apr. 2026
Verb
People dispense advice to our heroine of the kind that one encounters in stories properly poised on the cusp of life.
—James Wood, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
Given the complaint’s estimate that Temu is responsible for over 10,000 spam emails to Californians each year, the company encounters considerable potential liability in a state that is a primary battleground for digital privacy rights.
—Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 1 May 2026
Because every experience a child has during their early years helps create new neural connections, wiring the brain for all future learning and connecting, encounters with AI slop may literally wire the brain incorrectly.
—Dana Suskind, Chicago Tribune, 30 Apr. 2026
In the film, Stella’s character encounters the 39-year-old version of herself — played by Plaza — while on a mushroom trip.
—Joe Otterson, Variety, 28 Apr. 2026
What was important for you in shaping how the viewer physically encounters the work?
—Eana Kim, ARTnews.com, 27 Apr. 2026
In addition, with weight loss often comes excess skin, another condition Kamal increasingly encounters as semiglutides become more prevalent.
—Cindy Krischer Goodman, Sun Sentinel, 25 Apr. 2026
What makes the whale encounters extra special is that the belugas are curious creatures and highly gregarious.
—Sarah Sekula, USA Today, 23 Apr. 2026
Two shots of the measles vaccine are about 97% effective in preventing illness, if given at least two weeks before the person encounters the virus.
—The Denver Post, Denver Post, 23 Apr. 2026
Noun
Through the daily rhythms of an urban hospital’s emergency ward and clinics, HOSPITAL reveals the intricate systems, urgent decisions, and human encounters at the heart of modern medicine.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 6 May 2026
The master of stories about chance encounters between strangers was undoubtedly Patricia Highsmith.
—Literary Hub, 6 May 2026
Gen Z is increasingly stepping away from dating apps and looking for love the old-fashioned way — through chance encounters at run clubs, book clubs, cycling groups and bird-watching meetups.
—Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 5 May 2026
Other women described receiving messages from Swalwell after everyday encounters – from restaurant workers who served him to a woman who stopped to say hello.
—Allison Gordon, CNN Money, 4 May 2026
Kwan usually runs one of the league’s lowest strikeout rates, but Chafin has struck him out three times in six encounters.
—Zack Meisel, New York Times, 4 May 2026
New Mexico and Arizona are hot spots, Harkins said, likely because the odds are greater for mouse-human encounters in rural areas.
—Susan Montoya Bryan, Chicago Tribune, 4 May 2026
Last fall, the task force heard testimony from current and former service members who described UAP encounters.
—ABC News, 3 May 2026
But this truth is anathema in a culture where billionaires expect to live forever and encounters with disease are wars to be fought and won.
—Hannah Kerman, STAT, 29 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for encounters
Verb
-
Loosely based on the nonfiction book You and I—The Illness Suddenly Gets Worse by Makiko Miyano and Maho Isono, the story follows the French director of a nursing home who attempts to introduce a more humane care technique and meets a terminally ill Japanese playwright.—
Rebecca Ford,
Vanity Fair,
6 May 2026
-
Accessibility Although there are areas where design overrules function, the majority of the resort meets ADA standards with ramps and wheelchair-friendly pathways.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
Johnson finds a disturbing manuscript raising questions about the author’s mental state.—
Sean Joseph OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
28 Apr. 2026
-
From glossy flagships and chaotic Don Quijote megastores (also known as Donki) to drugstores like Matsumoto Kiyoshi and Cocokara Fine, Japan is full of great beauty finds.—
Anita Bhagwandas,
Condé Nast Traveler,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
But representation in Congress was never the ultimate goal of the VRA, nor will that be the primary problem the country faces after its fall.—
Vann R. Newkirk II,
The Atlantic,
2 May 2026
-
The corporate margin is at an all-time peak exactly as the household margin faces a severe constraint.—
Katica Roy,
Fortune,
2 May 2026
Noun
-
The game was delayed with just under six minutes on the clock after several skirmishes broke out, leading to the ejections of Seals captain Wes Berg and Toronto’s Elijah Gash.—
Ivan Carter,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
4 May 2026
-
The early skirmishes certainly appeared that way.—
Josh Gross,
Daily News,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The race unfolds as the district confronts a superintendent under FBI investigation, declining enrollment, a potential strike and ongoing academic recovery from the pandemic.—
Howard Blume,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Near the end of the penultimate episode, Cashman confronts Blake about Urich, shoves him to the ground in a scuffle and shoots him dead.—
Jordan Moreau,
Variety,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Four interior cameras focused on student safety, including incidents such as bullying or fights.—
Ivan Taylor,
CBS News,
2 May 2026
-
Even if there were arguments and fights, there was still love between those arguments and fights.—
Rick Stroud,
The Orlando Sentinel,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
In Bend, Oregon, Outdoor Adventure Belongs to Everyone On a visit to this adventure magnet, Sophie Morgan goes for a trek in the high desert in an off-roading wheelchair and catches an outdoor concert, washed down, of course, with a few pints of local craft beer.—
Hannah Wallace,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Curtis just didn’t show much as a pass catcher in college (13 catches for 167 yards and two touchdowns in 2025).—
Zack Rosenblatt,
New York Times,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Try the entire collection, which includes a 16-shadow palette, luminous blush, and two brushes for less than $90.—
Izzy Baskette,
PEOPLE,
1 May 2026
-
Additionally, upright vacuums typically come with attachments, including crevice tools, upholstery brushes, and pet hair tools, that enhance the machine’s versatility.—
Jolie Kerr,
Better Homes & Gardens,
25 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Encounters.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/encounters. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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