confrontation
noun
con·fron·ta·tion
ˌkän-(ˌ)frən-ˈtā-shən 
: 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
R. J. ClementsExamples 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
Next, Marlene’s workplace comes into focus, featuring lively banter among the women of the office (Kato and Halpern), a tense confrontation with her male colleague’s wife (Jamshidi) and a humorous sequence of interviews with clients seeking work (Halpern, Rice and Lavenstein).
—Emily McClanathan, Chicago Tribune, 20 Feb. 2026
Maurice Pierce died in 2010 after a confrontation with police after a traffic stop.
—Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 20 Feb. 2026
Other trials are still ongoing, including one in which he is charged with treason after he was accused of ordering that drones be sent into North Korean airspace to provoke a confrontation that could justify martial law.
—Stella Kim, NBC news, 19 Feb. 2026
Oil prices rose with worries about a possible military confrontation between the United States and Iran.
—Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for confrontation
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Emily McClanathan, Chicago Tribune, 20 Feb. 2026
Maurice Pierce died in 2010 after a confrontation with police after a traffic stop.
—Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 20 Feb. 2026
Other trials are still ongoing, including one in which he is charged with treason after he was accused of ordering that drones be sent into North Korean airspace to provoke a confrontation that could justify martial law.
—Stella Kim, NBC news, 19 Feb. 2026
Oil prices rose with worries about a possible military confrontation between the United States and Iran.
—Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for confrontation
Cite this Entry
“Confrontation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/confrontation. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
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