confrontation

noun

ˌkän-(ˌ)frən-ˈtā-shən How to pronounce confrontation (audio)
Definition of confrontationnext
as in rivalry
an earnest effort for superiority or victory over another the softball rivals met in an epic confrontation on the last weekend of the summer

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 confrontation The suspect in the deadly Berlin Pride attack that left one person dead and 29 injured was shot and killed by police during a confrontation Sunday in a suburb of the capital, authorities said. — Geir Moulson, Los Angeles Times, 26 July 2026 Salgado Araujo was driving himself and three others to a construction site for work when the confrontation took place, according to lawyers involved in the matter. — Dennis Romero, NBC news, 25 July 2026 Tyson said investigators are interviewing witnesses, reviewing security footage and coordinating with the Anson County Sheriff’s Office, which responded to the office Tuesday after a confrontation between Helms and others. — Nora O'Neill, Charlotte Observer, 25 July 2026 The stiffest confrontation of the evening came when CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer took the stage to hand out the night’s awards. — Aidan McLaughlin, Vanity Fair, 25 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for confrontation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for confrontation
  1. rivalry
  2. battle
  3. struggle
  4. competition
  5. duel
  6. conflict
  7. warfare
  8. war
Noun
  • Set in Texas Hill Country, the modern Western follows interconnected families and their rivalries and romances.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 25 July 2026
  • The teams faced each other in back-to-back postseasons in 2018 and 2019, with the rivalry peaking during a seven-game series in 2019.
    — Sean McIndoe, New York Times, 25 July 2026
Definition of rivalry
Noun
  • If someone pushes back, resist turning it into a battle for dominance.
    — Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 July 2026
  • Baela rides the small, but still battle-ready (in the show) Moondancer.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026
Definition of battle
Noun
  • Strickland said weather and development have been the farm’s biggest struggles.
    — Maven Navarro, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 July 2026
  • While much has been a struggle for the Jays this year, Cease’s first season in Toronto has been nothing but brilliance.
    — Mitch Bannon, New York Times, 26 July 2026
Definition of struggle
Noun
  • That tournament in the past had taken place near the end of the tennis competition, with entrants somewhat dependent on who made it to the latter stages of the singles event or who was willing to stick around.
    — Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 24 July 2026
  • The states alleged in their lawsuit that the acquisition will substantially throttle competition in wide-release and top-grossing theatrical distribution and cable licensing in violation of antitrust laws.
    — Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 24 July 2026
Definition of competition
Noun
  • Physicality is an important aspect in winning such duels, but Stones’ timing is often impeccable in the crucial moments.
    — Mark Carey, New York Times, 26 July 2026
  • In some fuzzy plotting, that negotation will hinge on a duel between the star players of both sides.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 21 July 2026
Definition of duel
Noun
  • The Iranian military fired six missiles on Jordan today, according to the Jordan Armed Forces, as the regional conflict expands.
    — Arpita Dasika, CNN Money, 22 July 2026
  • Lario stressed that hunger and conflict often reinforce one another, creating a cycle that is difficult to break without greater stability.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 21 July 2026
Definition of conflict
Noun
  • Without Fedorov in charge of the ministry of defense, Ukraine’s revolution in warfare will lose its standard-bearer and a lot of its momentum—just when those innovations appeared to be paying off.
    — Simon Shuster, The Atlantic, 24 July 2026
  • Traditional anti-submarine warfare tools are not optimized for small, slow, quiet autonomous vehicles.
    — Aditya Jadhav, Interesting Engineering, 24 July 2026
Definition of warfare
Noun
  • However, the ruling has tremendous implications for regional politics--and for any future war between the United States and China.
    — Jill Goldenziel, Forbes.com, 30 July 2026
  • Shell’s latest quarterly profits soared to their second-highest levels in the company’s history as the US-Iran war caused a surge in global oil prices.
    — Salma Arafa, CNN Money, 30 July 2026
Definition of war

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confrontation
confrontational
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Cite this Entry

“Confrontation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/confrontation. Accessed 31 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on confrontation

Nglish: Translation of confrontation for Spanish Speakers

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